Greeks were in continual pursuit of WISDOM, but having no infallible teacher, there were endless disputations among the philosophers as to a proper system of ethics, or the nature of the true religion, and so numerous and discordant were their theories, that one of their number scrupled not to say, "there is nothing in the world howsoever absurd, but has been maintained by one philosopher or other." The Jews, on the other hand, whose religion and traditions were so closely connected with the supernatural, would not admit any message from God, even although delivered by the most accredited prophet, unless it were accompanied by some miracle or preturnatural appearance, and ultimately became so irrational as to demand a miracle to support their credence in and to prove the reality of miracles wrought before their eyes, the genuineness of which they could not dispute. Our Lord sharply reproved the Jews for their itching desire after "signs,"-signs which they sought corresponding to their own notions and expectancies, as if they had not received abundant evidence of His supernatural powers, and He calls them "a wicked and adulterous generation who were seeking (onμelov Einte*) sign upon sign;" and the sign which He did give them was one at utter variance with their expectations, a sign,—yea, a stern fact, which struck at the root of all their prejudices and fondly-cherished hopes, that in His humiliation was their exaltation, in His weakness their strength, in His ignominy their glory, in His death their life.

The Jews failed to perceive in the Crucified One, the Messiah, the Redeemer; and shutting their eyes to the light which shone so brightly around him, they have since * "The εntε is intensive, denoting, 'pertinaciously seeketh, or continually seeketh.'" Bloomfield Gr., Test. in loc.

+ Matt. XII., 39.

walked on in utter darkness, and have always been falling over this stumbling-block: the Greeks might possibly have conceded a niche in the Pantheon to this " strange God," but would spurn the idea of abandoning the worship of the deities endeared to them by tradition and early associations, and substituting this crucified Jesus of the despised Jews,-the very thought seemed the height of folly; and thus proving to the one a "stumblingblock," and to the other "foolishness," failed to demonstrate "Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God":"the power of God," in opposition to the expected sign of the Jew; "the wisdom of God," as contrasted with the sophistry of the Greek.

Notwithstanding the Apostle's acquaintance with Hebrew literature and Greek philosophy, he dared not drivel away his precious moments upon mere sentiments or opinions; his mission was pregnant of importance to perishing immortals, and therefore, waiving all ethical or metaphysical disquisitions, he at once directed the attention of his hearers to the subject uppermost in his thoughts, and taking his stand by the cross of Calvary, proclaims, "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses."* Wherever he went he was neither ashamed of his mission, nor tired of his theme. To Jews and Greeks he had but one message, "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." No wonder then, that in a burst of holy enthusiasm he should say, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”+ Worldly prudence would have suggested to Paul a more

*Acts x., 38-39.

† Gal. VI.,

14.

effectual mode of preaching the gospel than he adopted. It would have blazoned forth the wondrous miracles of Jesus; would have dwelt much upon His pre-existent Godhead, and the glory He laid aside when He assumed humanity; would have told of the lowly adoration of the heavenly hierarchy when He entered upon His mediatorial office; but it would have kept THE CROSS out of sight,— and what would Religion be without that?—as soon might we have a world without a sun, a universe without a God. And it is said by some even now that all that is necessary to render christianity universally acceptable is to take away the cross that if it were removed, the moral loveliness and truth-the surpassing grandeur and sublimity of religion would shine forth resplendent with heavenly radiance, commending itself to the consciences of all men, who would recognize in her teachings "the manifold wisdom of God.' 11% This is an assumption perfectly gratuitous, and contrary to all experience. It is a well known fact that where christian faith is most lively, love most ardent, humility true and unostentatious, and progress in the divine life steady and marked,—this grand cardinal point of our religion has been much dwelt upon in the pulpit, its great importance pressed upon the mind, its inseparable connection with salvation continually brought home to the conscience, and its truths cordially and fully received into the heart. But where this doctrine has been withheld, and the gospel plan of redemption through a Crucified Saviour mystified, or worse still, cavilled at and ignored, the people have settled down in Antinomian presumption or Socinian disregard, "even denying the Lord that bought them," and counting "the blood of the covenant . an unholy thing."t

* Eph. II., 10. † II. Peter II., 1.

+ Heb. X.,

29.

From nature we can gather no certainty that God will forgive the sinner: there everything exhibits the most perfect order, everything tells of the Omnipotent and the Omniscient; every atom fulfils the mission assigned to it; systems revolve in space, each in its own proper orbit; season succeeds season with unfailing certainty; night throws her pall over the busy world, to be lifted again when the sun's rays gild the eastern horizon, the generous earth clothes the fields with verdure, alike delighting the eye with pleasant landscape and providing food for man and beast; and as we contemplate this material universe and our souls seem in perfect harmony with all its workings, and the deep emotions of our nature are stirred as we listen to its ceaseless hum or gaze upon its multiform inscriptions,—still not one sound reaches man to announce pardon, not one inscription tells him of forgiveness, but upon all we behold there is indelibly written by the finger of Jehovah "verily he is a God that JUDGETH in the earth." We do not affect to despise or undervalue the teachings of nature, on the contrary we believe that when a man's heart is right with God, and under the influence of a soul-absorbing devotion, nothing tends more to elevate the spirit than contemplating His handiwork-looking abroad upon creation and gathering from every object and incident food for instruction and adoration :—but we do assert that a man may read the book of nature from beginning to end, but never can he find that which alone supplies the deepest wants of his soul, never shall the groans of a guilty burdened conscience be hushed till he comes to Calvary, and reads there the boundless love of the Father, who "was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them."+

* Psal. LVIII., 11.

Had Jesus died merely as a martyr, sealing with His blood the truth of His doctrines, we might look in vain for any practical, permanent results attending the preaching of His gospel or the labors of His servants. But He offered Himself up as a Sacrifice, a Propitiation, an Atonement for Sin. Through Him alone can God look in mercy upon the sinner, and while the trembling penitent casts the eye of faith upon his Saviour, and feels the load of guilt removed from his conscience, the bright spirits in heaven participate in his happiness; and rejoice in his forgiveness. This is God's remedy for sin—a remedy available for all forms of sin-a remedy just such as man needs and can understand;-Jesus speaking in tones of infinite tenderness and compassion to the heart of humanity, "ye need be slaves no longer, I have freed you; ye need not groan under the burden of sin, I will remove it, ye need not be aliens and rebels, I reinstate you as sons; ye need not die, I give you life." It is this the poor broken heart requires,-not that you hurl at his head the thunder-bolts of God's judgments, but that you tell him, and reiterate the statement till his soul rises up to the full comprehension of the wondrous truth, "Christ has come to give you life." Let me receive this truth into my heart, let me seize it with all the powers of my soul, and so incorporate it into my being that it shall become a part of my living self; let me feel that this suffering Jesus is my Saviour, that His blood has atoned for me, that there is now a mysterious union between us; that He, though exalted in glory, sympathises with me and sends me succour in the time of need; that He bids me tread fearlessly and vigorously in the path of duty, and guards every step; that He sweetens the cup of life with the nectar of immortality; and after finishing the work given me to do, will admit me into paradise :—and with