The Cross of Chrift the only Thing we ought to glory in, and the proper Methods of glorying in it.

A

SERMON

Preached at

St. JAMES's Chapel,

ΟΝ

Good-Friday, 1718.

159

Of glorying in the Cross of Christ.

A

SERMON

Preached at

St. JAMES's Chapel.

GAL. vi. 14.

But God forbid that I should glory, Save in the Cross of our Lord Jefus Chrift, whereby the World is crucified unto me, and I unto the World.

OD forbid! A Manner ofSER M. Speech familiar, and almoft VI. peculiar to St. Paul; fre

quently employed by him in

his Writings, thrice in this very E

pistle;

SERM. piftle; never, but where he intends, VI. with a particular Degree of Earnestness and Vehemence, to condemn fome Docrine or Practice imputed to Chriftians, or prevailing among them; by which he thought Christianity highly dishonoured. In fuch Cafes, it is ufual with him to express his Dislike, his Deteftation of fuch Doctrine, or Pra&tice, by this emphatical Phrafe, μù yéVOLTO, which we tranflate, God forbid!

νοιτο,

The special Occafion of his employing it here in the Text, was this. The Gentile Converts among the Galatians, after St. Paul's Departure from them, had been feduced by fome false Teachers, who were Jews, into a Belief, that the Law of Mofes was not entirely abolished, but that Circumcifion, and the other Rites of it, were ftill neceffary to be obferved by all those who, being Heathens, intended to become Chriftians. This Opinion had been entertained, and spread, by thefe falfe Teachers, partly through a fuperftitious Reverence for their Law, and a mistaken

8

Notion

Notion of the true Nature and Design SER M. of the Gospel, and partly, with a View VI. of leffening the Prejudices, which the Jews had conceived against the DoArine of Chrift; and of avoiding the Perfecutions which they every where raised against those who propagated, or professed it.

The Apostle, having argued against these Teachers, and their Opinions, strongly and fervently, in various Parts of this Epiftle, returns to the same Subject at the Close of it; and there fums up in fhort, what he had before more largely delivered. As many (fays he) as defire to make a fair Shew in the Flef [ευπροσωπῆσαι ἐν σαρκί, a Phrafe of his own, which fignifies, to act upon carnal Views, and for worldly Ends, and to study popular and plaufible Appearances] they conftrain you to be circumcifed, only left they fhould fuffer Perfecution for the Cross of Chrift. [Not fo much out of a Conviction of the Neceffity of what they urge upon you, as that they may live easily, and carry VOL. II.

M

Things