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The Croſs of Chrift
fication, were inſufficient. Therefore, in none of theſe he gloried. —Which reminds me of the ſecond enquiry.
II. In what the apoſtle did glory. -He gloried in a croſs. Strange! What ſo ſcandalous as a croſs? On a croſs rebellious ſlaves were executed. The croſs was execrable among men, and accurſed even by God, Gal. iii. 13. Yet the apoſtle glories in the croſs.- Crucifixion not being uſed among us, the expreſſion does not ſound ſo harſh; neither is the idea so horrid. But to the ear of a Galatian, it conveyed much the ſame meaning, as if the apoſtle had gloried in a halter; gloried in the gallows, gloried in a gibbet.[1]
- ↑ Some perſons, I am informed, were diſguſted at theſe words, halter, gallows, gibbet, they are ſo horridly contemptible! —To whom I would reply: That the croſs in point of ignominy and torment, included all thiſ and more... Unleſs the Engliſh reader form to himſelf ſome ſuch image, he will never be able to apprehend the ſcandalous nature, and ſhocking circumſtances of his divine Master's death. The words, I muſt confeſs, were diverſified, and the ſentiment was reiterated, on purpoſe to affect the mind with this aſtoniſhing truth. Neither can I prevail upon myſelf to expunge the expreſſions; unless I could ſubſtitute others of a more ignominious and execrable import. Only I would beg of the ſerious reader, to ſpend a moment in the following reflection:- "Is it ſo? that a polite and delicate ear, can hardly endure ſo much as the ſound of the words? How amazing then was the condeſcenſion! How charming and adorable the goodneſs of God's illuſtrious Son; to bear all that is ſignified by theſe intolerably vile terms! Bear it willingly, bear it chearfully, for us men, and our ſalvation!"
