but unto him who died for us and rose again"and what is the result-the consequence? "Wherefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new, and all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ."-(2 Cor. v. 14-17.) But, in fine, whatever be contained in the sanctification of the sinner, every component part-every vessel of this sanctuary, patience in tribulation, strength in conflict, meekness in reproach, gentleness to all men, comfort in adversity, equanimity in prosperity; all that enables a sinner to have fellowship with God in life, all that supports him in the hour of death, all that makes him meet for the inheritance of glory, is derived from one only, one all-sufficient source66 THE CROSS OF CHRIST."

LECTURE II.

MONDAY, APRIL 2.

THE CROSS OF CHRIST ANTICIPATED.

"I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up."-Ps. lxxxviii. 15.

THE cross may be considered either in a doctrinal or in an historical point of view. These aspects are manifestly distinct one from another, but still they are inseparably connected together, and neither of them can be profitably considered, or, indeed, correctly understood, without the other. We took a rapid survey of the doctrinal bearings of the cross on last occasion; on the present and for the remainder of the week we shall, if the Lord permit, be occupied mainly with its history. There are many advantages to be derived from tracing the history of the cross. It is, for example, a confirmation of our faith, as exhibting to our view so many and such signal instances of fulfilled prophecy, which need only be presented to the unbiassed mind of a reasonable man to work conviction. Again, the very conception itself of a suffering Saviour, of one himself a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and yet the great destined redeemer of mankind, and con

queror of sorrow, sin, and death, is one which bears the impress of divinity, and could never have originated with man. Moreover, when we consider the character which Holy Scripture ascribes to the Saviour; and then compare with this the sources from whence his afflictions manifestly arose we see that had not Jesus been such as the Bible represents him to have been, he could not have experienced that kind of trouble which yet he manifestly did; and thus we are supplied with a most important, and, at the same time, a most interesting, and, in its examination, a most profitable confirmation of our faith, in the true character of him whose "name" is WONDERFUL. But the most precious of all the results of this wondrous story is this, that it makes us more practically acquainted with the character of him whose sufferings we trace, and thereby brings us into closer fellowship with him; it enables us to attain to that after which the believer will always strive—to "know him in . . the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death."-(Phil. iii. 10.) It is suffering that elicits character, and exhibits a man to view as he really is. It is not in the time of worldly happiness and prosperity, but it is in the season of affliction, in the hour of adversity, that the heart of man is really drawn out, and exhibited to view. And this is one most precious fruit of the sufferings of our Saviour, that they have extracted the spices from

his character. They have exhibited him in so many endearing aspects-they have so called out that which was in him, or rather that which he was himself, that his people are enabled to get a view of him, to obtain an insight into the principles which reigned within him, a look, as it were, into the very secret chambers of his heart, which otherwise they could never have enjoyed.

The speaker in this psalm is evidently the Saviour himself, and the text which I have read presents us with a twofold statement regarding his sorrowful career. First, he "I am afflicted:" and second, "Ready to die, from my youth up."

says,

First, in order to trace the history of the cross, we must endeavour to examine into some of the principal sources of affliction in which that cross was anticipated, and, in one sense, endured, during the whole of his sojourn upon earth. His path from the judgment-hall to the Hill of Calvary may be regarded as a kind of figure or representation of his entire pilgrimage. Every day and every hour, in every page of his history, he is presented to us as proceeding with his face fixed towards Calvary, and pressed with the burden of his cross. What, then, were the principal sources of his afflictions before they were consummated on the cursed tree?

1st. It is manifest that one of these was found IN HIS CONTINUAL CONTACT WITH SIN. Even

we ourselves, if in any measure we participate in his spirit, can understand, and, in some degree, sympathise with this. But, alas! in how small a degree can we realise this sympathy? Our moral faculties, even at the best, are so bluntedour spiritual perceptions are so dull, that we feel but little trouble or concern at the sin which is so familiar to us-so constantly present all around. But not so with Jesus-"in him there was no sin." His eye was quicksighted to discern it where we see it not, and every instinct of his moral being must have always revolted from it with disgust-naked and huge in all its magnitude and deformity, it was ever presented to his view as coming fresh from hell. Consider, too, his zealous devotion to his Father's glory-his jealousy for the honour of his Father's name-his single-eyed dedication to his Father's service; he, whose meat and drink it was to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work, at whatever cost unto himself: and then reflect upon the dishonour done unto the name he honoured-the blasphemy against that majesty which he adored, and came to magnify, to which he must have been so keenly alive whenever sin appeared before him-and you will readily believe that even in this point of view alone, he must have been "afflicted from his youth up."

2nd. Again, remember the scene-the place where all this iniquity was exhibited. He dwelt not among the heathen, who professedly did homage