use the Gospel plan with serious and conscientious industry it is a plan for serving the Lord, and also for making our households join in the service, which, in the whole process of it, displays such a contrivance for holiness, such a powerful call to the heart for its return to God, and is so productive of an acceptable and pure obedience from a root of love, that, as a very excellent divine observes, we may challenge all the wisdom of man to substitute any thing in its place of equal force to promote the reformation of mankind, dead in trespasses and sins, and recover them to a state of willing subjection to God the Father of our spirits. Let the mind search all its stores; let philosophers exert all their efforts; let the will be supposed free to refuse the evil and choose the good; place virtue in the most amiable light you can; display the beauty, enforce the fitness, and strengthen the obligation of it by all the arguments you can devise; yet how weak are all the powers of nature and reason, when put in the balance against Christ crucified! That one saying, "If ye love me, keep my commandments," carries along with it more light and instruction, has more weight of argument, and carries greater force of persuasion,

than all the volumes of morality which ever were written.

Take care, therefore, beloved brethren, to apprehend the Son of God in the extent and fulness of his redemption. Without him " Without him "ye can do nothing:" whereas "all things are possible to him that believeth." The Son of God only is "the way, the truth, and the life." Through his Divine instruction, both you and your house will learn how to serve the Lord; and through the influence of his Spirit, you will be enabled to put your knowledge in practice, and your service of the Lord will become acceptable. In one word, Jesus Christ will be found your Saviour, the Lord your righteousness, your spiritual life and health, your resurrection, and your title to the joys of heaven.

205

SERMON XIX.

1'COR. ii. 2.

For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

IT should seem, then, that St. Paul judged it unnecessary to insist upon any thing else among his hearers, the Corinthians, “ save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." From whence I infer, with the greatest certainty, that if a teacher of the Gospel does but lay open, the doctrine of Christ crucified, together with all that is implied in this doctrine and connected with it, he need not be very solicitous about other points that have no connection with this. It is, in fact, the most fruitful subject in the world; and one may enumerate and enlarge on the uses of Christ crucified abundantly at all times, with great advantage to the improvement of the Christian character.

In order for the true follower of Christ to be wise and happy, he is constantly directed to study and meditate on the cross of Christ, in the exercise of a spiritual understanding, that he may see who He is that suffers; what is the direct and proper use of his sufferings to us in particular,what the dying Saviour teaches us of our state, our duty, our interest, and of the character of that God with whom we have to do ;-and that he may be so affected with these things as to fall in with his glorious and gracious designs in the redemption of the world by his Son: and then the consequence will be, that "his feet will be set upon a rock, and his goings ordered" aright.

But to attain these things in the first place, and afterwards to grow in them, fervent prayer, steady searching of the word, meditation frequent and profound, with a frame of mind seriously bent on heavenly things, are means which are found indispensably necessary.

It is not enough to say, "I believe in Jesus Christ, crucified under Pontius Pilate, dead and buried; and that he rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven;" then to hear a sermon frequently, and to read a chapter at stated times

concerning the history and practice of Jesus Christ; and, yet, at all other times to suffer our souls to be carried down the stream of worldly vanity. The cares of the world, and the lusts of other things entering in, have always a tendency to choke the word, and prevent the growth of the good seed. Those who are the most careful in avoiding hindrances and impediments, find it all they can do to keep their souls alive for religious meditation, and to preserve a taste, a relish for, and an insight into, the beauties of Jesus, and him crucified. The spiritual eye, through which the soul of the true believer perceives the beauty and excellence of the Redeemer, is often tender, weak, and unsteady, even in those who are most exercised in heavenly meditations: and we are taught that it will be so in this world of infirmity and temptation, because of the world, the flesh, and the devil, which never cease to assail and harass the most upright and established Christians. Then, what must be the case of those who give way to temptation, and drown themselves among worldly objects, far beyond the line of their duty?

Never forget, that the saving knowledge of Christ crucified is not a natural knowledge-that is,