with the doctrine of the cross: 1 Cor. i. 17. "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach "the gofpel: not with wifdom of words, left "the cross of Christ should be made of none ef. "fect." And again, ver. 19. 20. "For it is writ"ten, I will deftroy the wisdom of the wife, and "will bring to nothing the understanding of the "prudent. Where is the wife? where is the "fcribe where is the difputer of this world? "hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this "world?" It may perhaps be afked, What is the meaning of this renunciation of human learning and wisdom? Is there any real oppofition between learning and the cross? Would not the legitimate use of human wisdom lead us to embrace it? To this I answer, that it seems to im ply thefe three things.

`(1) An admiration of the divine glory in that which had not on it any of the marks of human wisdom: in confequence of this, a stedfaft adhe. rence to the doctrine of the cross, though thofe who were wife in their own conceit might be tempted to defpife it, and to defpife him for its fake. This great scholar, then, was not unwil ling to fuffer the derifion and contempt of other fcholars for his glorying in the cross.

(2) It implied fuch a fuperlative admiration of this glorious and interefting object, that all the knowledge he poffeffed, and the honour he could otherwife acquire, feemed to him unworthy of regard his attention was wholly fixed upon, and his affections wholly ingroffed by, his Redeemer's cross. (3) It

VOL. I.

(3) It implied, that though he certainly ought, and certainly did ufe the noble parts and accomplishments of which he was poff.ffed, with zeal in his master's caufe; yet he he did it with that humility and felf-denial, with that noble contempt of vain embellishments, which showed he was not building a monument to himself, but fecking the honour of his Saviour. The doctrine of the cross fhould be treated in a manner fome how correfpondent to it; not with a learned and oftentatious felf-fufficiency, but with a meek and truly evangelical felf-denial.

Mistake me not, my brethren: I am not fpeaking against learning in itfelf; it is a precious gift of God, and may be happily improved in the fervice of the gofpel: but I will venture to fay, in the spirit of the apoftle Paul's writings in general, and of this paffage in particular, Accurfed be all that learning which fets itself in oppofition to the cross of Chrift! Accurfed be all that learning which difguifes or is afhamed of the crofs of Chrift! Accurfed be all that learning which fills the room that is due to the cross of Chrift! And once more, Accurfed be all that learning which is not made fubfervient to the honour and glory of the cross of Christ!

Well then, the learned and eloquent apostle renounced the wifdom of words; and how do we apply this in general? By a small compara. tive eftcem of all natural advantages; and by thinking it, in the heart, a greater honour and a higher privilege to fit down at Chrift's table, and to find acceptance with Fim, than to poffefs

beauty,

beauty, wisdom, learning, riches, and honours in the highest poffible perfection: and may God grant, that every one in this affembly may be able to fay, in fincerity, that, in what things he thinks he excells, thefe he is willing to count "lofs for Chrift!”

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2. The apostle would not glory in his privileges as a Jew. This we find him affirming in many places of his writings: Phil. iii. 4. "Tho" "I might alfo have confidence in the flesh. If

any other man think that he hath whereof he "might truft in the flesh, I more: Circumcifed "the eighth day, of the stock of Ifrael, of the "tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; "as touching the law, a Pharifee; concerning

zeal, perfecuting the church; touching, the "righteoufnefs which is in the law, blamelefs." Toward the latter end of the Jewish commonwealth, there was a very prevailing and grofs mistake among them, to look upon their external privileges as intitling them to the favour of God, and making a difference between them and others. We have reafon to be fenfible, that much of the fame difpofition is ready to adhere to men in every age. But one great design of the gospel is, to level the pride of man, to throw down all distinction in point of merit be. fore God, and to fhow, that the power of the Redeemer is equally neceffary to, and equally fufficient for, all without exception: Rom. iii. 22. "Even the righteoufnels of God which is "by faith of Jefus Chrift unto all, and upon all, "them that believe; for there is no difference."

Rom. x. 12. "For there is no difference be"tween the Jew and the Greek for the fame "Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him.". Col. iii. 11. "Where there is neither Greek "nor Jew, circumcifion nor uncircumcifion, "barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Chrift " is all, and in all."

3. The apoftle did not glory in his perfonal character, not even in his zeal and activity as a minister of Chrift. This appears through the whole of his writings, where he is at particular pains to destroy every foundation of boasting or glorying in ourselves: Rom. iii. 24.-28. “ Be❝ing juftified freely by his grace, through the

redemption that is in Jefus Chrift: whom God "hath fet forth to be a propitiation, through "faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness "for the remiffion of fins that are paft, through "the forbearance of God; to declare, I fay, at "this time his righteousness: that he might be "juft, and the juflifier of him which believeth in "Jefus. Where is boafting then? It is exclu"ded. By what law? of works? Nay; but "by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude, "that a man is juftified by faith, without the "deeds of the law" Nay, we find that all his public fervices he confiders as quite unfit fubjects for boasting, even when he is obliged to mention them for his own vindication: 1 Cor. xv. 9 10. "For I am the leaft of the apoftles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, becaufe "I perfecuted the church of God. But by the 15 grace of God I am what I am: and his grace

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"which was bestowed upon me, was not in "vain; but I laboured more abundantly than "they all: yet not I, but the grace of God "which was with me."

upon

I am perfuaded that those who, from really Christian principles, ferve God in their generation with the greateft zeal, will be most ready to renounce all plea of merit that ac count. I have read with pleasure the following account of the temper expreffed by John Knox, that eminent inftrument in the reformation, when he was drawing near to his diffolution. Some perfon prefent mentioned to him, what comfort he might now have in his extraordinary labour and great usefulness in the church: to whom he anfwered, "Forbear to puff up the flesh with "vanity, to which it is of itself sufficiently prone. "The port I would be in at, is that of the free 66 grace of God, through the merits of my bleff"ed Saviour." The truth is, thefe are but the fentiments which shall not only go with us to death, but continue with us to eternity. A deep fense of redeeming love, and grateful celebration of the Redeemer's glory, is not only the language of the church on earth, but the delightful worship of the church triumphant in heaven: Rev. v. 11. 12. 13. "And I beheld, and I heard "the voice of many angels round about the "throne, and the beafts, and the elders: and the "number of them was ten thousand times ten thoufand, and thoufands of thoufands; faying "with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was flain, to receive power, and riches, and "wisdom,