gle the powers of darkness in their own net, and making them ruin their own designs with their own stratagems. They made one disciple betray him, and another deny him; they made the Jews accuse him, and the Romans crucify him. But these were the very means of spoiling and triumphing over themselves, Col. ii. 15. The cruelty of devils and their instruments was made subservient to the designs of infinite mercy, and the sins of men over-ruled for "making an end of sin, and bringing in everlasting righteousness."*

Thus was "the prince of this world judged." Christ, by his death, "hath destroyed him that had the power of death," and rendered this evident, by the miracles that attended his Gospel, and the power of his grace in the experience of all believers. All the effects of Satan's usurpation shall finally be abolished. Christ shall reign universally through the earth. Satan shall be bound for a thousand years; and though loosed for a short season, shall be utterly cast out, and confined to hell. The grave shall resign all its dead, and Jehovah Jesus shall reign for ever." The Lord God omnipotent." Glory, Glory, Glory be to him!

APPLICATION. Having been to Bethlehem, to see this thing which is come to pass, let us now, like the shepherds, "return, glorifying God for all the things we have heard and seen.' We have learned, that in the incarnation of the Son of God we may see Deity displayedMan redeemed-and Satan ruined. How vast and glorious are these designs of a Saviour's birth! The angels knew this when they sang-" Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men." But, are these purposes of his appearance answered as to us? Is God, in all his glorious perfections, manifested in the person of Jesus? Well, does this attract our notice, and engage our souls to adore, and love and praise him, "magnifying the God of Israel?" "The Lord hath visited and redeemed his people." Are we among his redeemed? Are we actually redeemed from the guilt and power of our own sins, and from the follies and vanities of this world? The throne of Satan is shaken ; but is his power in us abolish

*See Maclaurin's most admirable sermon on glorying in the Cross of Christ.

ed? Are we "delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son?"

This is the way in which we are to consider this grand event; and, if the ends of Christ's birth be answered in our own experience, we have abundant cause for joy. But then it will not be the vain, frothy, carnal joy of the world. The manner in which some pretend to celebrate the birth of Christ, at the season called Christmas, is a disgrace to a Christian nation. They contradict, as much as possible, the design of his coming. He came "to destroy the works of the devil;" they try to keep them up. What have cards, dancing, songs, gluttony and drunkenness, to do with the birth of Jesus? He came to save his people from their sins, not in them. O let young people guard against the temptations of such a season; for there is more sin committed at Christmas in a few days, than in inany weeks at other times; and the sin is the more aggravated, as it passes under the notion of religious joy. But it is an affront to a holy God, a reproach to the Christian name, and ruinous to the souls of men.

Let us rather go to Bethlehem. Let us, like Mary, "ponder these things in our hearts." No sooner did the shepherds hear of him, than they ran to inquire after him. Let us also say, "We would see Jesus." And where shall we seek him but in his house, in his word; and if we seek him earnestly, we shall find that the church of God is still a Bethlehem, "a house of bread." God will feed our souls with "the bread which came down from heaven, and which endureth to eternal life." We may also see and serve him, in his "The poor we have always with us."

poor

members. As Christ was found in the stable, so we may find some of his in a cottage, in a garret, forsaken and destitute. Let us go and visit poor families, sick persons, fatherless children, in honour of him who was "wrapt in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger;" he will accept the kindness, and say, "Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these, my brethren, ye did it unto me."

L 2

SERMON XLV.

THE CROSS OF CHRIST THE CHRISTIAN'S GLORY.

Gal. vi. 14. God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

HE Apostle Paul, whose words these are, had good

THE

reason for glorying in the cross of Christ. He

tells us in the text, how useful it was to him. And whoever obtains the true knowledge of "Christ crucified," will, like him, "determine to know nothing else," and "esteem all things but loss for the excellency of it." It is well known, that the cross of Christ was a stumbling block" to the Jews: Nothing offended them so much as the plainness, the poverty, the sufferings, and death of Jesus: But St. Paul gloried in the cross; yea, he would glory in nothing else. The Jews gloried in their relation to Abraham, in their temple, in their religious ceremonies; but he, who knew that these were but "shadows of good things to come," gloried in the substance, gloried in the cross of Christ.

"The cross of Christ" signifies, either our sufferings for him, or his sufferings for us. In the former sense, we are to "take up the cross and follow him ;" but here, we are to understand his sufferings for us; for these are what the apostle gloried in. "The cross of Christ" sometimes includes the whole Gospel, the doctrine of him who died on the cross, of which his meritorious death for sinners is the most principal part.

As the cross of Christ is of so much use to a Christian, let us, first, Take a view of it, or contemplate the sufferings of Christ upon it; and then, secondly, Consider its practical uses, or the reasons we have for glorying in it. I. Let us contemplate the sufferings of our Lord. But how, or where shall we begin? Let no one rush into this solemn work in a thoughtless manner. Few persons are properly prepared for it. A mind polluted with sensual pleasures, or a heart crouded with worldly cares, is ill qualified for the task. When Moses approached the

burning bush, he was comanded to take off his shoes, for the place on which he stood was holy ground. Gethsemane and Calvary are also holy ground. Let us approach with godly fear, not with vain curiosity; and may the good Spirit of God, the glorifier of Jesus, take these sacred things, respecting his agony and bloody sweat, his cross and passion," and so show them to us, as that we may repent, believe and rejoice!

"

We ought to remember, that the whole life of Christ was a life of suffering. He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." For our sakes he became poor, and endured the contradiction of sinners against himself. But we must now confine our meditations to his last sufferings, in the garden; during his trial; and at Golgotha.

Our blessed Lord having "loyed his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end ;" and gave a most affecting proof of it, by washing their feet; celebrating the Passover with them; instituting the sacred Supper; and by his pathetic discourse and affectionate prayers. He then went forth out of the city, accompanied by all the apostles, except Judas, who was preparing to betray him, to a garden, where he used to retire, and had spent many nights in devotion. At the entrance of this, he left eight of the disciples, taking Peter, James and John, to a separate place, where they were spectators of his distress.

Then Jesus "began to be sorrowful, and very heavy" -to be sore amazed"-the words signify much more than they express; "they imply that he was possessed with fear, horror, and amazement; encompassed with grief, and overwhelmed with sorrow: pressed down with consternation and dejection of mind; tormented with anxiety, and disquietude of spirit."

in an

How vast must that pressure have been, which obliged him to complain, and to complain to his inferiors-" My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death!" He was AGONY" -a word used no where else in the New Testament; an agony so great and astonishing, that"his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground." In this extreme distress he betook himself to prayer; he first kneeled down, and afterwards fell on his face upon the ground, saying, "O Father, if it be

possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt."

What a mysterious scene is this! What could be the occasion of this agony? It was no human enemy that hurt him; nor was it the fear of his approaching death. Probably it was some peculiar conflict with the powers of darkness, for this was "their hour." Perhaps, the restrainst usually laid on these malignant spirits was now removed; and who can tell what terrors they may inflict, if permitted? Probably, our Lord had now before his eyes the collected guilt of millions of sinners; and the intolerable misery due to their iniquities: and what an agony must this occasion, when an individual finds one "wounded spirit" more than he can bear.

Here stop, and see "the sinfulness of sin." Perhaps you have seen it only in the garden of pleasure, wearing the mask of happiness: Here, in the garden of sorrow, behold sin stripped of its mask. See, in the agony of Jesus, its true nature and proper effects. "The wages of sin is death;" therefore, the soul of Christ was sorrowful, "even unto death." See, here, a specimen of that "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish," which every soul of man, not interested in Christ, must suffer, not for a few hours, but to all eternity. And here, believer, see what thou must have suffered, if Jesus had not suffered it for thee. But "it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and put him to grief," that thou mayest be filled with joy unspeakable. He drank this bitter cup, that he might put into thy hand the sweet cup of salvation.

Our Lord, who knew beforehand all things which should befal him, intimated to his disciples the near approach of the traitor Judas. "Rise," said he "let us be going; he is at hand that betrayeth me." This infamous man had sold his affectionate master to the priests; and, knowing the place of his retirement, comes attended with an armed force: yet, still pretending friendship, salutes him with a kiss, which was the appointed signal for his apprehension. Jesus offers no resistance, nor attempts an escape. The Lamb of God freely offers himself up, and, with surprizing intrepidity and composure, tells them who he is. He could have slain them all in a moment, for he