God, the more ftrictly we examine it, and the more perfectly we know it, the more we fhall admire it; but every work of the creature, the more perfectly it is known, the more its inherent weakness always appears. This difcovers itself, even in comparing the produce of the field with the effects of human art. Naturalifts obferve, that the finest and most admirable human manufactures, when feen, as by a finer fenfe, with the affistance of a micros scope, appears quite coarfe and irregular; but that if you look at a pile of grass, or any thing natural, with the fame affiftance, you will fee ftill more exquifite and delicate ftrokes of the almighty operator.

If this is the cafe even in the material productions of natural power, how much more muft it be fo in the unfearchable myfteries of God's fpiritual kingdom? In none will it hold more than in this chief of the works of God, this gorious though defpifed object, the crofs of Chrift Here indeed the glory of God appears in all its luftre. It appears in fo ftrong and fo various lights, that the highest angels are employed, delighted, and lost in the contem plation of it: 1 Pet. i. 12. "Which things the angels de"fire to look into." Eph. iii. 1o. "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly ર places, might be known by the church the manifold "wifdom of God. O what a difplay of power in the union of God and man! What an almighty arm was required to make thefe things meet, which were infinitely diftant! The Creator of the ends of the earth born of a woman the Self-exiftent become a feeble infant! the Lord of glory covered with fhame! The Judge of all contlemned to fuffer! The Author of life giving up the ghoft!

What unfearchable wisdom appears in finding a victim able to bear almighty vengeance! in finding a way by which fin might be at once punished and pardoned, justice fully fatisfied, even where mercy is extended! Little wonder indeed that the angels defire to look into this mystery. They had tafted the fruits of divine benignity in the happiness of innocent creatures; they had feen the glory of divine justice in the perdition of the rebel-angels į

but the cross of Christ was the first thing that discovered to them the glory of divine mercy, in pardoning the chief of finners, without in the leaft obfcuring the brightness either of justice or holinefs, nay to the illuftration of both. In the cross of Chrift there is a more awful and penetrating view of the justice and holiness of God, than could have been given by the irreparable destruction of the whole race of Adam. And at the fame time, his not "fparing his "own Son," but " delivering him up for us all," is a more aftonishing effect of love, than pardon without fatisfaction could have been, had that been a thing in itself poffible. There is no end or measure to our views of this fubject; but I hope many of you will now fay, with the apostle Paul, what I dare fay he has not yet done repeating in heaven, Rom. xi. 33. "O the depth of the riches both of the wif "dom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways paft finding out!"

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2. The riches of divine grace are manifefted in the crofs of Chrift to the moft aftonishing degree. It is not merely a wonderful work of God, which all his intelligent creatures may behold with admiration, but it is a defign in which we ourselves have an immediate and an infinite concern: For, Ifa. liii. 5. "He was wounded for our "tranfgreffions, he was bruifed for our iniquities: the "chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and with "his ftripes we are healed." O what an amazing display of unmerited love! Every divine perfection indeed appears in it very clearly, but chiefly love. The tender mercy of our God predominates, actuates, and reigns through the whole. Chrift's undertaking, in general, is the fruit and evidence of the everlasting love of God: John iii. 16. "For God fo loved the world, that he gave "his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him, "fhould not perith, but have everlasting life." Salvation, in the whole of its purchase and effect, was the fruit and expreffion of the infinite love of Chrift: Rev. i. 5,6. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our fins "in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests "unto God, and his Father; to him be glory and domi"nion for ever and ever. Amen." The believing foul

is never more at a lofs than when attempting to confefs its obligations to redeeming love. The human mind never feels its weakness more than when it attempts to con ceive, or to illuftrate, this truly incomprehenfible fubject.

The grace of redemption may be confidered and illuf trated in a great variety of lights: From the greatness of the mifery from which we are delivered; for "we are "faved from wrath through him :" From the greatness of the happiness to which we are entitled; for we are made "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift:" From the guilt and unworthiness of the objects of this love; for it was "when we were enemies" that "we were reconci"led to God by the death of his Son." But befides these confiderations, there is more than enough of divine mercy to excite our wonder in the crofs of Chrift, the price paid for our redemption.

Great fufferings ufually melt the heart to fympathy and tenderness, though we have no immediate concern in them at all: but how much more must every fource of tendernefs be opened, when we confider the fufferer as an innocent person, and as fuffering in our room! Remember the perfon, remember the nature, remember the greatnefs, remember the end, of his fuffering; the eternal Son of God, the great Immanuel, covered with fhame, dragged to an unrighteous tribunal, not to abide the decrees of justice, but to bear the effects of blinded rage! See him, Ofhocking fight! blindfolded, buffeted, and fpit upon, feverely fcourged, crowned with thorns, arrayed in purple, adored in derifion! See him nailed to the cross! O fhameful, O tormenting, O moft accurfed manner of death! Is it poffible to conceive the grace of this amazing humiliation, this infinite condefcenfion? 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, Ofinner! and fee how it magnifies the love of God. Was all this abafement, all this fhame, all this fuffering for me? and fhall I not glory in the crofs? Shall I even glory in any thing but the cross? As it magnifies the di VOL. I. 3 Y

vine power, as it magnifies the divine mercy, fo it magnifies the finner. Is it any lefs to our honor 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 laft place, The real Chriftian has reafon to glory in the crofs, 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 of the crofs as the wisdom and the power of God unto falvation. And indeed to 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 compass 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 holinefs of God? the infinite danger of fin? Muft not the reflection of every believer be, "Who can ftand 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 shall it be preserved and improved, in fo effectual a manner, as by believing views of the cross or Chrift, the most tender and coftly expreffion of his love to us? 1 John iv. 19. We love him; be"cause he first loved us." How does this fill the Chriftian with indignation against fin, which he must confider as "crucifying him to himself afresh!" &c. 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 caufe! Will any thing fo effectually determine us to love our fellow-creatures, as his command and example? Will any thing fo effectually perfuade us to dif charge the most important duties to others, I mean, seeking their eternal welfare, as the value of a precious foul estimated by the cross ? Will any thing fo effectually dif

pofe us to the moft difficult duties to others, I mean meeknefs, patience and forgiveness, as the great debt cancelled to us by his fufferings on the crofs? Is it poffible that his own words, in that awful feafon, can ever be forgot. ten, "Father, 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 Christian, glory in his Master'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 "wifdom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and re"demption."

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 gospel, the fum and fubftance of the truth as it is in Jefus, viz. the doctrine of the crofs, 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 manifested in the fullness of time. The Saviour was the fubject of the ancient promises, the hope of the ancient patriarchs, the fubftance of the New-Teftament difpenfation, and the burden of the everlasting gospel. He faith of himself, Rev. i. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, 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 infpired apoftles delighted to dwell. Did they then mistake their message? did they mislead their hearers? No; it was, and it shall ever remain an unchangeable truth, what the apoftle declares, 1 Cor. iii. 11. "For other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jefus Chrift."

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 deriyes force and meaning from the crofs; every other par