Christ on the cross, suffering for sinners, or, The sinner's redemption, sanctification, and exaltation, by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ

Christ on the cross, suffering for sinners, or, The sinner's redemption, sanctification, and exaltation, by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ (1784)
by John Welch
3289313Christ on the cross, suffering for sinners, or, The sinner's redemption, sanctification, and exaltation, by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ1784John Welch

Chriſt on the Croſs,

SUFFERING FOR

SINNERS!

OR,

The Sinner's Redemption,
Sanctification, and Exaltation,

By the DEATH of our

Lord JESUS CHRIST.


By the late Pious and Godly,
Mr JOHN WELSH,
Miniſter of the Goſpel in Jedburgh.


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 on him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life.

FALKIRK:
Printed and Sold by Patrick Mair,

At the New Stirling-Shire Printing-Office, High-Street, oppoſite to the Croſs-Well:—Where many other Pamphlets, in Divinity and Hiſtory, may be had, in Wholeſale or Retail, very cheap. 1784.

CHRIST on the CROSS.

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 a comforter, viz. 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 heart to the will and ſervice of God; for Chriſt our bleſſed Saviour, thought it no ſcorn or diſgrace to ly 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 (illegible text)ying 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 (illegible text) 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 ſaid in his heart, There is no God!" ſo, let us be afraid to offend God, much more (illegible text) deny God; 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 (illegible text). Let us, with devotion and piety, make uſe of the holy Scriptures for the 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 fall find him lowly, meeck, 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 for 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 Epiſtle of Paul to the Theſſalonians ch. i. (illegible text) 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, the glorious Majeſty, the ſaints and martyrs, prophets, prieſts, apoſtles, and angels have joint communion, where the omnipotent God encompaſſes the royal camp of heaven, and where all are made heirs and co-heirs with Christ, triumphing over death, hell, and the devil, reigning and ruling in majeſty, on the higheſt throes 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 friends, 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 his apoſtles, and follow the true worſhip of God; but let us not follow every whimſical brain which diſturb 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 Matth. xxiv. quite through, which fortelleth of falſe Chriſts, and falſe prophets: And ſo in the Epiſtle of Jude, you ſhall find that the prophecies of old are now come to paſs; for how many new Chrifts, 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 ſaying 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 and ſincere 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 ſecend 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 neighbours as ourſelves, that it may be ſaid of us as it is ſaid of faithful Enoch, that lie 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 on the three ſupernatural Graces, viz. Faith, Hope, and Charity, 1 Cor. xiii. 13.

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 fins and treſpaſſes, that by laying hold on Chriſt, we have free acceſs to the tribunal seat 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 (illegible text)re 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 the 9th, to the 14th verſe.

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 Sun 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 those (illegible text) gods; but let us worſhip the great God of (illegible text) with fear, love, and reverence: let us pray devoutly, and praiſe his name continually, (illegible text) 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 earthky 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 love us, Rom. viii. 33. John xvi. 3. Theſe things have I Spoken to you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye ſhall have affliction, but (illegible text) of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John, x. 17, 18. 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 from my Father.

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

FINIS.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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