The Preaching of Christ Crucified
We preach Christ Crucified; unto the Jews a stumbling block; and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
If at any time God is pleased to make a revelation of his will to mankind, and to point out a way of salvation to them which is entirely new, it is evident that we can be in no respect judges before hand, what kind of revelation is to be expected, or what sort of truths are likely to be contained in it. We cannot so much as conjecture about these things any appearance of probability; but must wait in patient expectation, till the revelation is actually made: because the nature and necessities of man may require a treatment which we are not at
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all aware of. Gods maimer of governing Uie imiverse, of which we form but a very small part, may be utterly beyond the range and reach of our highest apprehension
Hence, when we examine a revelation purporting to be from God and inquire into the way of salvation pointed out in it, our minds must be made up to difficulties, and be contented to remain ignorant on many points which we hoped would have been revealed. When once we are satisfied with the external evidences of its truth, it is incumbent on us to inquire what is the revealed will of God; not what it ought to be, or might have been. It becomes us to ask for instruction with humility, and to receive it w ith reverence. If men will not conduct their inquiries in this spirit of diffidence, but, under the influence of premature opinions, will presume to dictate, instead of submitting to be taught, God does not accommodate himself to the prejudices of proud men, nor will he new-model his scheme to make it more agreeable to their views. As he first sent forth his Scriptures to mankind with a certain degree of evidence and no more, so he has left them: if men neglect them, on whatever plausible pretext, let them do it at their peril. Once he has sent forth his Word. With the majesty of God he declares,
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He, that believeth and is baptized, shall he saved; hut he, that believeth not, shall he damned (Mark xvi. 16). It is, therefore, not to be expected, that God will enlighten the eyes of a captious scrutinizer of his ti-uths; but will rather, in conformity to the principles of his wise and righteous government, leave them in darkness. If they look into the ark of God, like the Bethshemites, with unhallowed eyes and captious scrutiny, they will meet with a similar fate. God will not suffer any to trifle with his holy things. Their rashness will be death to them. Yet do unreasonable men persist in trying and examining the Gospel, by preconceived opinions — some judging of it according to the opinions imbibed in infancy; others approving of it no farther than it will countenance self-indulgence; and, according as the preached Gospel shall answer these conditions or not, determining to receive or reject it.
Of this latter description were the unbelievers of old: they required in the new religion certain things as indispensable; and when their expectations were disappointed they had done with it. Thus says St. Paul, in the preceding text. The Jeics require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom, when they ought to have required nothing but the evidences of its truths; hnitve preach Christ Crucified — a subject which they neither expected nor relished: therefore the one found it a stumbling-block, and the other foolishness.
In the words first read to you, there are three things to be considered. First, The subject of the Apostle’s preaching; secondly, the
DIFFERENT MODES OF ITS RECEPTION amOnST
men; thirdly, the true light in which it is
TO BE RECEIVED.
I. The SUBJECT of the Apostle*s preaching, was Christ Crucified: which is, in brief, this proposition — That Jesus, who was crucified, is the Saviour of the World; or, more fully, the doctrine embraces all that respects the origin and scheme of salvation.
Man having subjected himself to the curse of God, no way of deliverance was found but by the divine interposition in his favour. The Father, in mere mercy, sent his Son into the world; and He undertook to save them, in the only way in which it was practicable, namely, by substituting himself in their stead: the Law of God required perfect obedience — he therefore answered the demands of the Law, and fulfilled it in their stead: their past sins required punishment — he therefore suffered it in his own person. With this work God declares himself satisfied, and accepts him as a propitiation for the sins of the world — rhatj Rn’ which he is willing to be propitious to men, to pardon and take them into favour, to give them the spirit of holiness, and at last to exalt them to his glory.
Moreover, the way in which men can be interested in his death and receive the benefits flowing from it, is not by palliating their sins, or thinking themselves excusable, but by faith, and by faith only; casting themselves upon God as sinners, inexcusable and deserving of hell. If, renouncing all hope in themselves, they will thus come to Christ, they shall be justified freely by His grace — their hearts delivered from their attachment to sin — and they brought, without fail, to everlasting happiness.
We preach Christ, says St. Paul. This is not, indeed, to be invariably dwelling on the way of salvation by him; for men would by habit cease to have their attention engaged, and thus the end of preaching would be defeated; but it is to make it the main subject of our discourses — it is to be ever seeking to lead sinners to Christ.
To accomplish this end, various means may appear necessary. The minds of men may require certain preparation, for want of which the Gospel would be unintelhgible.
The Heathen Auditors at Athens needed St. Paul to explain to them the unity and spirituality of God and his providence, together with the certainty of a future state of rewards and punishments. And probably, in addressing the Jews, he endeavoured to convince them of their condemnation by their own law: he would point to their own sacrifices; and hence argiic the necessity of some better sacrifice to take away sin. He would alw ays give so much previous instruction, as the circumstances of the case seemed to require. Asa w ise master-builder, who designs to raise an edifice on a particular spot, surveys the ground, removes other buildings with which it is encumbered, and clears aw ay as many obstructions as possible, that then he may lay a good foundation; so the Minister of the Gospel will be gradually seeking to edify the souls of men on Christ the true foundation, and yet make use of all the variety of methods which the topics of religion or the feelings of men will supply.
But though the Way of Salvation by Christ need not be constantly the preacher’s theme, yet occasionally, and from time to time, men must be called to the single consideration of Christ Crucified. This is the sun that warms and enlightens the system of revealed truth: in the direct beamings of this sun, we must sometimes be placed, as well as have the genial light of it diflused around us.
Whenever we profess to confine ourselve;? to
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this doctrine formally and exclusively, we then preach Christ Crucified; by representing him to mankind as the only Saviour, and the all-sufficient Saviour.
As the ONLY Saviour, we teach, that it is not permitted men to choose their own religion, or to cast up a high-way for themselves whereby to arrive at heaven, or to work out a righteousness of their own to recommend them; but that Christ alone is the way, and the truth, and the life (John xvi. 6) — that ot her foundation can no ma?i lay than that is laid, ichich is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. iii. 11) — that there is none other name under heaven given amo7ig men, whereby we must he saved, but only the name of Jesus Christ (Acts iv. 12).
We proclaim him also the all-sufficient Saviour. In his ofters of salvation, we declare that he requires no previous qualification; but, equally regardless of the antecedent morality or immorality of the subjects, he commands them to receive, and not to purchase — ojflfers salvation freely to those who see themselves perishing, and promises to give all the holiness of heart which is necessary to fit them for heaven; and, then, that he is able to save to the utmost — fully qualified to begin, carry on, and complete the happiness and holiness of jpvery believer.
These doctrines relating to Clnist were uniformly insisted on by St. Paul and all the first preachers of the Gospel. Thus we read that Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ u?ito them (Acts viii. 5); and when he was explaining the Scriptures to the Eunuch he preached unto him Jesus (Acts viii. 35). Notwithstanding the opposition which they had to encounter in doing it, the other Apostles daily in the temple, and in every house, ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ (Acts V. 42). St. Paul, on his conversion, straightway preached Christ in the synagogues (Acts ix. 20): and he determined to know nothing, but Jesus Christ, a7id him, crucified (1 Cor.ii. 2); nor to GLORY in any thing, but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. vi. 14). There were some who preached Christ of contention, not sincerely yet, says the Apostle, tvhether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice (Phil. i. 16, 18): he never repented of having laid too great stress on this doctrine; for we hear him reminding the Ephesians at the time he was taking leave of them, that he had testified to them repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts xx. 21).
In all after-ages, even to the present moment, the men who are chosen of God to be his wit-THE PREACHING OF CHRIST CTlUCIFIED. 285
nesses on earth, treading in the steps of the Apostles of old, have persisted in proclaiming the glories of their Lord. They take their place at a distance, as being servants, from a wish to remain unnoticed, that the single undivided attention of mankind may be fixed on the Master whom they serve. They preach not themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. They are equally cautious about leading their hearers into error, by confounding the grace of God and the law of works, or by setting forth such principles of morality as the Heathen Sages might have taught; and give themselves up to the study of those divine mysteries which are known only by Revelation, that from them they may learn how to build up your souls on that foundation, which will stand the test of the Judgment Day.
Moreover, when they preach Christ Crucified, as they find it revealed, they are not concerned about making the doctrine appear more reasonable, so as to approve it to the learned, nor to state it so as to leave no room for objections; but as the Scriptures have left it, so they take it up. They do not gild over the Cross, or invest it with gaudy trappings, or allure men to it by deceitful panegyrics; but they take their stand at the foot of the blood-stained tree, and proclaim, in those words
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which were written on the Cross — Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews! Thus the Apostles preached.
II. What RECEPTION this preaching met with in the world comes next under our consideration.
1. To the JEWS, it was a stumbling block.
The Jews had been accustomed to displays of supernatural glory. The promulgation of the Law at Mount Sinai was accompanied with all that splendid train of circumstances, which most powerfully strikes the outward senses. Hence the Jews, when they heard of the pretensions of our Lord, sought of him a sign from heaven, saying. Master, ive would see asignfrom thee — a sign from heaven (Matt. xii. 38.; xvi. 1). So those who came to hear St. Paul preach in the synagogues, expected he would ground his doctrines on a fact of such extraordinary glory, that the very description of it should delight and astonish them: but when they found that a man put to death by their countrymen was the foundation of this new religion, which was to supersede the whole system of the Jewish Ritual, they rejected it without hesitation. Thus the Person of Christ was a stumhling-hlock to the Jews, because deficient in external glory.
Equally offensive to them was the Doctrine of the Gospel, because it was directly subversive of all their self-righteous confidence. They were by the Apostles told that God was no respecter of persons — that, before Him, their mouths must be stopped — that they were as guilty as the rest of men; and must be saved, if they were saved at all, not because they were the children of Abraham, or weie strict in ceremonial observances and in works of morality, but only by faith in that person whom they had put to death. They found, moreover, that the Gospel is proposed equally to the moral and immoral — making no difference between them, but reducing them to a level; offering to Scribes and Pharisees salvation on the same terms as to Publicans and Sinners. Every part of such a statement was calculated to provoke their indignation. To renounce their own righteousness, and thus to be brought on a level with the accursed Gentiles, was what they never would hear of without rage. National and personal pride, prejudices imbibed in infancy and inveterate by time, all revolted against such humiliating doctrines. They stumbled, according to the prophecy of Isaiah and the predictions of Simeon: He was for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence (Is. viii. 14): he was set for the fall of many in Israel (Lukeii. 34). Though he visited them as the day-spring from on high — though
yie rose as the morning- star, and shone as the sun in his strength, to guide their feet and shine on their path to heaven — they took offence at him. In consequence, the Gospel remained more than darkness to them: it became as a stumhling-hlock in their way, to which when they came they stumbled, and fell over it headlong into eternal perdition.
2. The Gospel met with no better reception among the greeks, who rejected it from causes which correspond to those which influenced the Jews. As the Jews sought after a sign, so the Greeks sought after wisdom; and as the Jews were proud with self-righteousness, so the Greeks were filled with conceit of their learning. They sought after wisdom.
Every branch of human leaVning was, at this time, in the highest state of cultivation; but the favourite study was that of the science of Morality: to that they directed particularly their attention, in order to discover some method of checking the progress of profligacy: they inquired into the difference of virtue and vice, as to the happiness of man: they formed systems of morality according to their various views, defended them by learned arguments, and were zealous of making proselytes to their sentiments. Hence, on the appearance of the Preachers of the Gospel, the Philosophers expected from men setting out to be the instructors of the world, profound learning — a laboured investigation of truth and morals — refined arguments and ingenious deductions — something which might entertain cultivated minds, and lay the foundation for new improvements in theoretic wisdom. These things they sought, but they found them not. They heard the Sermons of St. Paul; but there was nought, in the matter or manner of them, that satisfied their literary thirst: they received no increase to their ideas, by his doctrines; nor did they find any exercise of their powers of reasoning, by his manner of stating them. On the contrary, the simple preaching of Christ Crucijied, with the expectation of reforming mankind by it, appeared to these philosophers highly foolish and absurd; insomuch that they openly expressed their contempt of the Apostles, and treated the doctrines of Jesus and the resurrection with ridicule (Acts xvii. 18).
But besides the foolishness of the doctrine in their views of it, the pride and conceit of their hearts interposed another obstacle to their receiving it. The Gospel was neither preached by learned men; neither did it require learning or education to comprehend it. Besides, no homage was paid to their own superior abilities, but they were addressed by the Apostle, u
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with the same plainness as the illiterate vulgar. This treatment was too humiliating for the wise men to brook: they would not condescend to sit at the feet of fishermen, along with those whom they despised. Had the preachers been w illing to pay them deference and allow them to be in need of no further instruction, they would have been better pleased; but the Apostle commanded them to unlearn all their errors, to lay by their proud prejudices, to become fools, that they might be wise; and warned them, that, unless they were born again, unless they were converted and became as little children, they would certainly, with the most low and ignorant, lie down in everlasting burnings. Such a system as this, which made no difference between the wise and unwise, was vehemently opposed by all the feelings of their proud hearts.
3. In the midst of this crowd of unbehevers, there was found a poor and despised people,
BOTH OF JEWS AND GREEKS, TO WHOM THE GOSPEL CAME IN POWER AND THE HOLY GHOST.
For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God; that is, after God had in his wisdom suffered men to make the experiment for several ages, whether human wisdom could bring men to the knowledge of God, and let them see by facts that it was impossible, then by the foolishness of preaching he saved them that believe: to them, Christ Crucified was the Power of God, and the Wisdom ojGod — ’
III. And that, as we are in the last place to shew you, is the TRUE LIGHT IN WHICH IT IS TO BE VIEWED.
1. It is the POWER of God.
Power is estimated by the effects which it produces: one power is greater than another, if it produce greater effects than another, or the same effects by less means.
Now to wave all other considerations that display the Power of God as it operates in the Gospel, the single fact of a sinner s conversion by the doctrine of the cross is sufficient to establish this point.
For observe the state and condition of an obstinate sinner. He has given the reigns to appetite, and has been long running the career of wickedness: he goes on, deaf to the admonitions and intreaties of friends, and the warnings of conscience; and, regardless of consequences, is scarcely restrained, by the terrors of an ignominious death, from perpetrating the blackest crimes: the joys of heaven have no power to attract his desires, nor can the threatenings of eternal punishment deter him from 6in: he continues his course of self-indulgence; and becomes headstrong — intractable — outu2
FOURTEENTH SERMON.
rageous: all human means having failed to reclaim him, he is generally given up as irrecoverably vicious. In the course of a short time, the very same person may be seen walking soberly, righteously, and godly; not partially reformed, but following universal holiness: holding communion with that God whose very name he hated, delighting in that society which once he despised, he lives the ornament of human nature, and dies with a hope full of immortality. What was it, we ask, that changed him? did the angel Gabriel lead him in a vision to the empyreal heaven, and overpower his corruptions by a torrent of divine glory? or was a spirit of darkness sent to conduct him to the confines of hell, that the nearer sight of the livid flame might startle his soul, and force him from his sins? No! these arguments, or others as strong, had been tried in vain: legal hopes never yet made the heart yield: No! the man, whose change we are accounting for, once heard that faithful sai/mg, That Christ Jesus came into the world to save siimers — that the Son of God himself had died for the chief of sinners — that now pardon for the past was offered freely, and grace for the future stored up for the penitent: this strikes his attention and wins his heart, and a gleam of returning hope begins to steal through his breast: “If this great salvation be for any,” he will argue, “then why not for me? If Christ was crucified for me, then I may hope, that, for his sake, God will surely receive me. 1 will believe that the Mood of Jesus Christ cleajiseth from all sin;” he ventures to apply for pardon; and, almost to his own surprise, his conscience enjoys peace within! the inward change begins by the renovating influences of the Holy Ghost; and the same person, who was before in the image of Satan, is made by his inward purity to resemble the Holy One!
An instance like this, is not a solitary trophy of the victories of the preached Gospel. When first the sword of the Spirit was grasped by a mortal hand, three thousand fell before it; and wherever in the world it is wielded by the servants of God, it marks its way by the conquest of all whom it strikes. Many of you can add your testimony, from the course of your own experience: you can say, it is the doctrine of Christ crucified that encouraged you at first to set out in the ways of religion — it is that wherein the power of God is daily manifested to your souls.
Then, if 1 ask any of you for a specimen of divine power, lead me not to the heights above, or the depths beneath — bid me not admire that word, which stays the proud waves of the sea and forbids it to pass the appohited bounds — -shew me not the strength of that arm, which took up the vast orbs of heaven, and hurled them along- the fields of space; but let us ascend Mount Calvary together, and direct our eyes to Him that is hanging on the cross — for there alone is to be seen, according to God’s own declaration, what is the exceeding greatness of his power — there, God has exhibited, not a partial exertion of his power, but as it is energetically expressed here, Christ is the Power of God. In Christ, all the diversified operations of divine power are concentrated and brought to a point.
2. Christ is also the wisdom of God: for, in Christ, God hath attained the two great ends of all that he does (if they may be called two), namely, his omti glory and our happiness.
Wisdom, you will observe, appears to most advantage in cases of difficulty. When she steers her way clear through many a perplexing difficulty, and at last arrives at her destined end without any untoward or disorderly accident, then she appears in her proper character and native excellence.
To perceive the wisdom of God in Christ, we ought to bear in mind the difficulty of attaining the end proposed; which was the glory of God and our happiness. If men were an upright rare, all would be easy: those who continued perfect would ascend to heaven, and those who sinned would descend to hell. But how man, after being’ a sinner, could be made happy here and hereafter, was a problem of no small difficulty. If God had pardoned siimers by an act of sovereign power, his truth would have been impeached; for he would then give life to whom he had before denounced death: neither could justice have been exercised; and thus, an appearance of weakness would attach to the character of God. If, on the contrary, he had offered no pardon, he would have been just and true indeed: his mercy and love would have had no scope for exercise. But, in Christ Jesus, mercy and truth, formerly irreconcilable, are met together in a friendly manner — righteousfiess and peace, God’s righteousness and our peace, have kissed each other ( Ps. lxxxv. 10).
By his dying on the cross in the stead of sinners, there was a way opened for the exercise of all God’s attributes. For as Christ undertook to be accountable to God for all our sins, God in punishing Christ punished our sin: thus he displayed his justice. Moreover, since that person who became our Surety was not one of ourselves or an angel, but his own Son, who was dear to him, here his mercy and love are discovered.
And not only do the divine attributes find scope for exercise in Christ’s death without interfering, but they throw light on one another. Men would perhaps have regarded their pardon as no great exertion of mercy in God or ground of gratitude in themselves, did they not see the severity of God’s justice as sustained by an innocent person, wdiich would otherwise have fallen on themselves; neither would they believe how inviolable was his truth, if he had not shewn that he would rather part with his own Son, than sully his truth to accomplish the salvation of sinners.
And from this we are led to observe, that each attribute is, in the highest degree, set off and glorified by its opposite. They are not forcibly reconciled together, nor do they merely harmonize; but they all put honour one upon another. One does not rise by the depression of the other; but they all rise together. The more we see of the glory of one attribute, the more we shall see of every other. While God’s hand lies heavy on his Son, justice assumes its dignity; but mercy likewise rejoices: as the strokes of his wrath are redoubled, justice wears a look of more awful grandeur; but mercy smiles with increased sweetness: and when ail the idals of wrath are poured forth on Christ and justice triumphs in complete majesty, mercy rises with equal progress and beams forth from her countenance miutterable glory.
The more we contemplate the mystery of Redemption, the more we shall see it a masterpiece of Divine Wisdom; and the more sincerely shall we join the exclamation of St. Paul, O the depth of the riches y both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! (Rom. xi. 33). Human intellect could not conceive a plan more wondrous in wisdom to be possible: nay, it is a subject of astonishment to angelic minds; for God has designed that now unto the 2)nnci2)aUties and powers in heavenly places might he made known, by the church, the ma?iifold wisdom of God. How justly, therefore, does the Apostle add, Howbeit tve speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the jrrincesofthis world that come to nought: but zee speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory (1 Cor. ii. 6, 7).
In CONCLUSION, we notice the Misery of those who resist the call of the Gospel.
There is, in every congregation, a large proportion of Jews and Greeks.
There are persons who resemble the Jews in self-righteousness; who, after hearing the doctrines of grace insisted on for years, yet see no occasion at all for changing the ground of their hopes. They seek righteousness not by faiths but as it were by the icorks of the law: for they stumble at that stumbling-stone (Rom. ix. 32); or, perhaps after going a little way in the profession of the Gospel, they take oflence at the rigour of the practice which we require, as if the Gospel did not enjoin it. This is a hard saying, they complain: icho can hear it? (John vi.60) — and thus resemble those w ho first made the complaint, who icent back and walked no more with him (v. 66).
Others come to carp and to criticise. While heretics who deny the Lord that bought them, open infidels, professed atheists, grossly wicked men, are considered as intitled to candour, liberality, and respect, they are pleased to make serious professors of the Gospel exclusively objects of contempt, and set down their discourses on the mysteries of faith as idle and senseless jargon. Alas! how miserably dark and perverse must they be who think thus of that Gospel, which unites all the power and wisdom of God in it. After God has arranged all the parts of his plan, so as to make it the best which in his wisdom could be devised for the restoration of man, how pitiable their stupidity and ignorance to whom it is foolishness I
And, let us add, how miserable will be their end! because they not only are condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on them, but they incur tenfold danger: they not only remain without a remedy to their maladies, but have the guilt of rejecting it when offered to them. This is their danger, that there is always a stumbling-block in the way: the further they go, the nearer are they to their fall. They are always exposed to sudden, unexpected destruction. They cannot foresee, one moment, whether they shall stand or fall the next; and when they do fall, they fall at once without warning. Their feet shall slide in due time. Just shame is it to the sons of men, that he whose delight it was to do them good, and who so loved them as to shed his blood for them, should have so many in the world to despise and reject his offers; but thus is the Ancient Scripture fulfilled — The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor. ii. 14).
Tremble at your state, all ye, that, from self-righteousness, or pride, or unwillingness to follow him in the regeneration, disregard Christ! Nothing keeps you one moment from perdition, but the mere sovereign plea sure of God. Yet, suppose not that we take pleasure in contradicting your natural sentiments on religion, or in giving pain
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by forcing offensive truths upon your attention — no! as the ministers of joy and peace, we rise up at the command of God, to preach Christ Cmcified to you all. He died for his bitterest enemies: therefore though ye have been Jews or Greeks, self-righteous, ignorant, or profane — though ye have presumed to call his truths in question, treated the Bible with contempt, or even chosen to prefer an Idol to the Saviour — yet return, at length, before you die, and God is willing to forgive you.
How happy is the condition of those who obey the call of the Gospel! Their hope being placed on that way of salvation which is the power and wisdom of God, on what a broad, firm basis doth it rest! Heaven and earth may pass away, though much of the power and wisdom of God was employed in erecting that fabric; but the power and wisdom themselves of God, must be cut off from his immutable essence, and pass away, before one tittle of your hope can fail. Then rejoice, ye Children of Wisdom, by whom she is justified. Happy are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; and the things which God hath hidden from the v. ise and prudent, he hath revealed unto you. Ye were righteous in your own esteem; but ye count all tJmigs but loss for the excellencij of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus our Lord. Then be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth; but contmue to display its efficacy by the holiness of your lives, and live rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.