Behold this, ye who suppose, that we are ashamed of the cross of Christ; was the Lord's hand then shortened, that it could not save? Was the power of God unto salvation slack on that occasion? Did he desert Jesus in the time of need; Jesus, who had been faithful to him that had appointed him. God will exert his resistless power in the same manner to save every one that is faithful, he will give as he did to Jesus the crown of life to every one that is faithful unto death.

To the Jews was the promise first given and sealed by the blood of Jesus, or rather scaled by that power, which raised Jesus from the dead. Not however to the Jews only, but whosoever feareth God, to them whether Jew, Greek, or Barbarian, is this salvation sent.

Our cause, I repeat, so far from being prejudiced by, or blushing at the cross, sees in that very event the power of God to salvation established beyond the possibility of contradiction, it draws its chief strength and glory from the

cross.

In our message is declared the power of.. God, to the abrogation and abolition of the power of man in respect to justification. The priests under the Jewish dispensation conferred righteousness upon those, who complied with certain forms or ordinances, set forth in the

mosaic institution; our message declares, that the power of the priests in this matter is no more, and that God alone has power to save. For in that message is revealed the spectacle on the cross, upon which we love to dwell; on which was disclosed the way of obtaining acceptance with God, or of becoming righteous in his eye, without the aid of any priestly intervention, in spite of, and to the eternal confusion of those, who had hitherto held the privilege of conferring righteousness. On the cross was disclosed God's righteousness conferred upon man, or man accepted as righteous by God, on the ground, not of ceremonial works, or priestly intervention, but on the ground of faithfulness of spirit in the individual accepted, a faithfulness undismayed by the heaviest calamities, the most painful personal sacrifices, when God's glory, or the good of mankind demanded them. On the cross the righteousness of faithfulness triumphed in contrast with the righteousness of the law of which we hear so much, the righteousness of the spirit, with that of the flesh. There did Jesus in characters of blood engrave upon the hearts of his followers the image of that righteousness, which alone is admissible before God, grounded, not upon form and ceremony, but upon conduct and principle; exhibited on the cross, that it might extend its influ

ence over others, inspiring a similar spirit, inspiring his own spirit, inspiring a corresponding fidelity and self devotion in all who profess his name. For was he not raised to life again? Has not the world seen the words of the prophet realized? The man, that is righteous from faithfulness, or the man that is faithful, or the man, whose conduct harmonizes with his profession, shall live, though he die, yet shall he live.

I again remind you of the noble language Jesus used in anticipation of this spectacle, this spectacle which we prize as the most glorious in his eventful pilgrimage, a spectacle however, which there are persons, it seems, absurd enough to suppose we can wish to suppress. "He, that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He, that findeth his life, shall lose it, and he, that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it." Again, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me, for whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? And what shall a man give in exchange for his soul, for the son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works."

These memorable expressions are preserved as an inestimable treasure in many holy writings in the possession of the faithful, but when the ignominy of the cross is cast in our teeth, let me particularly direct your attention to the more full developement of that dignity of mind, with which our deliverer anticipated and approached the cross, as it will appear in the record of John, hereafter to be published, John, who was admitted into his inmost counsels, and who therefore perhaps is the more to be listened to in the interesting and moving details he will give of the affecting discourses of his friend and Lord.

“And Jesus answered them saying, the hour is come, that the son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit. He, that loveth his life shall lose it, and he, that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, him will my father honor. Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. The people therefore that stood by and heard it, said that it thun

dered, others said, an angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, this voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast down, and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."

Can the cross after this be contemplated with any thing but with the feeling of benevolent and sublime exultation; there was the judg ment of this world displayed, and the prince of this world cast down; there was the glory of this world, and of the kingdoms thereof weighed against the life of a righteous man, and proved but as the small dust upon the balance. It is from the cross, "that he assembles the outcasts of Israel, and gathers together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth, and it is there, that he stands for an ensign of the people, there shall the Gentiles seek him, and glorious is the rest, which he has there found after a life of unparallelled exertion, and a death of torture.

Believe me, I am most ready to do my utmost to promulgate among the enlightened inhabitants of Rome the blessed message concerning the son of God, for I can never be ashamed of that message. It is the firmest and most indisputable assurance of the power of God, to be the Saviour of those who trust in him; an