Crhist (sic) on the cross suffering for sinners, or, The sinners redemption, sanctification and exaltation by the death and bitter passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

by Samuel Smithson

CRHIST

ON THE

CROSS

SUFFERING for SINNERS:

OR, THE

Sinners Redemption, Sanctification, and Exaltation, by the Death and bitter Paſſion of our Lord and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST

.

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Matth. iii. 16, 17.

And Jeſus, when he was baptized, went up ſraightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he ſaw the Spirit of God deſcending like a dove, and lighting upon him. And lo, a voice from heaven, ſaying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed.

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By the Rev. Mr. SAMUEL SMITHSON,
Miniſter of the Goſpel.

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GLASGOW
Printed and Sold by J. & M. ROBERTSON.
mdcclxxxvi.

❊ ꕥ ❊ꕥ❊ꕥ❊ꕥ❊ꕥ❊ꕥ❊ꕥ❊ꕥ❊ꕥꕥ❊

CHRIST on the CROSS ſuffering
for Sinners.

A

S E R M O N,

On John iii. 14, 15.

And as Moſes lifted up the Serpent in the wilderneſs ſo muſt the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh but have everlaſting life.

THESE merciful words of our bleſſed Lord and Saviour, might raviſh our ſouls with raptures of joy, to think in what a moſt miſerable and wretched condition we were wallowing in by reaſon of ſin and wicked abominations, that we were dropping into hell and eternal deſtruction; for the gates of the bottomleſs lake ſtand open, and is like a devouring ſepulchre to receive us; but bleſſed be the moſt glorious name of the Lord of Hoſts, who has ſent us, out of his free grace and love, both a conqueror and comforter, to wit, Jeſus Chriſt the ſanctifier of our hearts, and the ſalvation of our ſouls.

Therefore, dear friends and Chriſtians, let us with fear and reverence give attention to the ſacred word of God, in which we ſhall find the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, which is very mean and poor, and the place too bad to entertain the Lamb of God, which takes away the ſins of the world, Luke ii. 11, 12. Chriſt being thus born, and laid in a manger amongſt oxen and aſſes, becauſe there was no room in the inn, it might, in the firſt place, perſuade us to be humble, and alſo bend our proud ſtubborn hearts to the will and ſervice of God: for Chriſt our bleſſed Saviour thought it no ſcorn or diſgrace to lie in a manger, to eat the bread and drink the water of affliction, to be buffeted, ſpitted at, reviled, crowned with thorns, and crucified on the croſs,'to ſhed his precious blood for the redeeming of our loſt ſouls; then ſhall we be made partakers of the covenant of grace, according to the ſaying of the prophet, Ezek. i. 6. “Nevertheleſs I will remember my covenant made with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will confirm to thee an everlaſting covenant.” Shall we then, for all theſe ſpecial mercies and favours from our infinitely loving God, ſtill ſport at his glory, his goodneſs, and majeſty, and walk like children of diſobedience? Shall we pluck Chriſt again from the throne to crucify him? Shall we kick at his divine Eſſence, and requite him with ingratitude? Shall we deny God, according to the words of the prophet David, The fool hath ſaid in his heart, There is no God? No, let us be afraid to offend God, much more to deny him; for it is a fearful teſtimony of truth from the mouth of our bleſſed Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, That whoſoever denieth me before men, him will I alſo deny before my Father which is in heaven, Matth. X. 13. Therefore, conſider with fear and reverence, the love of God, the goodneſs of God, the mercies of God, and the juſtice of God! For let none be deceived, God will not be mocked; tho' you daily like to fly with your own pleaſures and vanities of the world, without repentance you will ſuffer the flames of puniſhment: From which eternal deſtruction, let it be the faithful deſire and prayers of all people to ſay, Good Lord deliver us. Let us, with devotion and piety, make uſe of the ſcripture, for help and nouriſhment of our ſouls, in which we ſhall find the life of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt to be moſt pure and holy, we ſhall find him lowly, meek, humble, courteous, wiſe, prudent, profitable, charitable, and indeed with a million more of ſpecial graces and virtues; in which he doth ſtrengthen the weak, comfort the afflicted, heal the lame, cure the blind, make the dumb to ſpeak, the deaf to hear, and the dead to walk, and the infernal devils to tremble. Then, ſince it is ſo that Chriſt is our Saviour, Redeemer, and Comforter, how ought we to glorify the great God of heaven, in ſending his only begotten Son to ſuffer for ſin, who knew no ſin, and to bear the curſe of the croſs for our offences? O what ſatisfaction ſhall we render to the Lord of lords, and King of kings! Nothing like a new heart, and a new ſpirit, renewed by the newneſs of life, that we may receive the new birth, without which it is impoſſible to ſee God. Then, as new born babes do thirſt for the milk to nouriſh them, ſo will our ſouls long and thirſt after the waters of righteouſneſs, to taſte of the tree of life, and to have our names recorded in the book of God, for his choſen ones, yea, his beloved ones, according to the firſt epiſtle of Paul to the Theſſalonians, i.4. Knowing brethren, beloved, your election of God. O how happy is that ſoul that is linked to God, and united to the bleſſed unity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt, in which divine body, and glorious Majeſty, the ſaints and martyrs, prophets, prieſts, apoſtles, and angels have joint communion, where the omnipotent God encompaſſes the royal camp of heaven, where all are made heirs and co-heirs with Chriſt, triumphing over death, hell, and the devil, reigning and ruling in majeſty upon the higheſt thrones of felicity, joy, and glory, which is the moſt infinite and unſpeakable, wearing crowns of gold, bedeckt with princely diamonds, to illuſtrate their happineſs with more glory.

O my beloved friend, heaven itſelf is lovely, beautiful, rich, full of pleaſure, joy and felicity: it is a manſion of virtue, a paradiſe of pleaſure, the kingdom of God and the crown of glory. Then ſince Chriſt was born to redeem us, let us run that we may obtain, let us lay hold on Chriſt by faith, and follow the ſteps of the apoſtles, and follow the due and true worſhip of God; but let us not follow every whimſical brain which diſturbs both the church and the ſtate. One ſays, Here is Chriſt; another ſays, Lo there is Chriſt; but believe them not, but ſearch the ſcriptures, and there you ſhall find where our bleſſed Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt is, ſitting at the right hand of God in power and glory.

Alſo take our bleſſed Saviour's words for a teſtimony of this truth. Read Math. xxiv. quite thro', which foretelleth of falſe Chriſts and falſe prophets: And ſo in the epiſtle of Jude, you ſhall find that the prophefies of old are now come to paſs; for how many new Chriſts and new prophets, and ſtrange confuſed opinions have we had in this latter age? And ſure enough there is but one God, one faith, one baptiſm, and one entire commandment, which is according to the words of our bleſſed Redeemer, Matth. xxii. 27. And Jeſus ſaid unto them, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy ſoul, with all thy heart, and with all thy mind. I know no purer religion than this is, firſt to love God above all, and your neighbour as yourſelf, and according to the words of our bleſſed Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, for every one to do unto another, as he would they ſhould do unto him. But alas! our hearts are frail and wicked, full of deceit, nay there are many of them that pretend and profeſs the moſt purity, love, godlineſs, and true religion, that do, and will the ſooneſt of all betray you with a Judas kiſs, ſpeak you fair to the face, and cut your throat. Upon which crew of infidels, our Saviour Chriſt cries out, Wo unto you Scribes and Phariſees, hypocrites, becauſe ye ſhut up the kingdom of heaven before men, for you yourſelves go not in, neither ſuffer ye them that would enter to come in. Wo unto you Scribes and Phariſees, hypocrites, for ye devour widows' houſes, even under a colour of long prayers, wherefore ye ſhall receive the greater damnation, Matth. xxiii. 13, 14. Then ſince it is ſo, that hypocrites are ſo much hated of God, let us endeavour to love one another, with an entire affection.

In the firſt place, Let our ſouls, hearts, and minds be to love God, and to fear God, as he is the great Judge both of heaven and earth.

In the ſecond place, Let us love ourſelves, and ſeek after Chriſt for the ſaving of our ſouls.

In the third place, Let us relieve the houſhold of faith, and love our neighbour as ourſelves, that it may be ſaid of us as it is ſaid of faithful Abraham, that he walked with God. Let us leave off pride and envy, covetouſneſs and drunkenneſs, ſwearing and whoredom, and let our daily practice be in the divine worſhip of God, with pure devotion and unfeigned piety: Let us relieve the poor without grudging, for charity is the brighteſt glory both in heaven and earth. The apoſtle Paul amplifies of the three ſupernatural graces, to wit, faith, hope, and charity, 1 Cor. xii. 13. Firſt, God the omnipotent glory, and divine Majeſty, is charity, for he has ſent his only begotten Son to ſuffer for our ſins, and to redeem our drooping ſouls that lay wallowing in blood, and being dead in ſin and treſpaſſes, that by laying hold on Chriſt, we have free acceſs to the tribunal feat of grace, to cry, Abba, Father. Secondly, Chriſt Jeſus our bleſſed Redeemer is charity, for he thought it no ſhame nor ſcorn, being equal to God, exalted above the ſacred quire of angels, to become man, and undergo the perſecution of the tyrannical Jews, at laſt to ſuffer his precious blood to be ſhed, and his fleſh nailed to the croſs, and all this to ſave his people from the puniſhment of eternal death. Thirdly, the Holy Ghoſt is charity, for whoſoever hath the faith of Chriſt, hath the Holy Ghoſt to be his Comforter. They need not fear that are ſtedfaſt in faith, what man can do to them, for man can deſtroy the body only, but fear God, who can caſt into hell both ſoul and body: And our Saviour faith, Whoſoever is brought before a magiſtrate for the teſtimony of the truth, needs not fear what to ſpeak, for the Holy Ghoſt will teach them, Mark xiii. from ver. 9, to 14

Gentle reader, you ſhall find both the joys and ſorrows the ſaints do endure; but, ſays our bleſſed Lord and Saviour, Jeſus Chriſt, He that endureth to the end ſhall be ſaved.

Then ſeeing it is ſo, that God is the God of love, and Chriſt the Son of glory, let me exhort you all in the name of our bleſſed Redeemer, not to worſhip any other Gods but him, neither in heaven nor in earth; and let not the riches of the world ſteal away your hearts to adore money as a god; nor let the vain pomps and pleaſures of the world. bewitch your hearts to worſhip them as gods; but let us worſhip the great God of heaven with fear, love, and reverence: Let us pray devoutly, and praiſe his name continually; let us walk in his laws and ordinances, that we may have his eternal love and bleſſing.

Let our meditation be upon divinity, that our reward may be in heaven, that when this earthly tabernacle of ours ſhall be diſſolved, we may be received into the kingdom of glory. Let the door of our hearts and ſouls ſtand open, that when our Saviour Jeſus knocks, he may be received with a joyful welcome: For which fulneſs of goodneſs and glory, let it be the deſire of ſinners earneſtly to entreat our bleſſed Lord and Saviour to draw us with the cables of his love to himſelf, and place us in the bottom of his love, where we ſhall be made more than conquerors thro' him that loved us, John xvi. 33. Theſe things have I ſpoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace : In the world ye ſhall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. “Therefore doth the Father love me, becauſe that I lay down my life to take it up again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down and have power to take it up again. This commandment have I received of my Father,” John x. 17, 18.

The grace of God the Father, the love of God the Son, the ſweet and comfortable fellowſhip of God the Holy Ghoſt, be with us now and for ever more. Amen.

FINIS.