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A47210
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Christ crucified a sermon preached at Salisbury, August 23, 1691 / by Joseph Kelsey ...
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Kelsey, Joseph, d. 1710.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing K247; ESTC R222
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11,678
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26
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he had by his Doctrine taught true Virtue and by his holy Life shown that it was practicable died to satisfy Justice and redeem the World And that there is no other way to Salvation but Faith in Christ Crucified and the imitation of his Example This is the plain sum of Christian Philosophy which even Justin Martyr confesseth was foolishness to him whilst he was in the School of Plato Yet this is 1. The Power of God I could tell you a large History from how low beginnings by what improbable methods it subdued Kingdoms conquered the greatest Conquerours brought the Empires of the East and West into its profession how it stopt the mouths of Apostates and Blasphemers silenced the Oracles of the Devil that he could no longer use either his Poetry or his ambiguous Prose to the delusion of the World That it hath sanctified the Temples of Idols into Churches turned the Schools of Philosophers into the Houses of God thrown down Amphitheaters levelled Pantheons ruined the Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness and obtained a Dominion larger than the famed Monarchies of the Earth This hath humbled the most haughty Spirits purified the most defiled Minds and can boast of more Proselytes to Virtue and Martyrs in its Cause than the most applauded Systems of Philosophy 2. It is the Wisdom of God I will not determine as some too rashly have That it was impossible for God to have found out any other way for the redemption of the World but the Death of his Son It is folly to pretend to set bounds to Infinity this is to suppose that God's Wisdom was exhausted and subject it to the comprehension of Man This we may safely say That our understandings will not reach to the conception of any other method which would so much advance the admiration of his Wisdom which in the Government of the World seems to propound two things chiefly to it self The encouragement of Goodness and Discouragement of Vice His own Glory and the Happiness of his Creatures depending upon each of these and they are both served incomparably in Christ Crucified 1. Here is the discouragement of sin By Gods transferring the punishment from us upon Christ his indignation at sin is manifested That his beloved Son should suffer rather than sin go unpunished and satisfaction not be given to that Rectitude and Order of things which is the true Creditor in the case requiring punishment to deter Men from sin Here we may see the grievous nature and direful effects of sin with what cruelty and infamy it procured Christ's Death much more will it ours By this we learn that God will certainly provide for his Justice under which it must be our care not to fall If it made thy Saviour sweat it will set thee all on fire if it made him dy what will be thy portion when Death which was his release shall not be granted 2. By this method God provided for the encrease of Goodness Had not Christ come and taught his Heavenly Doctrine the World had never known what true Virtue is nor would it have had sufficient encouragement to attain it had he not died rose again and given his Holy Spirit to assist and illuminate our darkned minds we had yet slept in the faint light of Nature never found the way to Happiness He explained the disputed Precepts of the Antient Moralists declared the future States the just rewards of sin and goodness And if such Motives will not prevail God is not to be blamed He grant therefore that every one may find the power of Christ Crucified in his own Soul and that All may earnestly endeavour That the Wisdom of this design may have its intended effect in making whole Mankind good and happy to Eternity FINIS Books Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's-Head in St Paul 's Church-Yard TEN Sermons with two Discourses of Conscience By the Lord Archbishop of York 4 to 's Sermon before the House of Lords Nov. 5. 1691. Bishop Overall's Convocation Book MDCVI concerning the Government of God's Catholick Church and the Kingdoms of the whole World 4 to Animadversions on Mr. Johnson's Answer to Jovian In three Letters to a Country Friend 8 vo Turner De Angelorum Hominum Lapsu 4 to Mr. Raymond's Pattern of Pure and Undefiled Religion 8 vo 's Exposition on the Church Catechism 8 vo Mr Lamb's Dialogues between a Minister and his Parishioner about the Lord's Supper 8 vo 's Sermon before the King at Windsor 's Sermon before the Lord Mayor 's Liberty of humane Nature stated discussed and limited 's Sermon before the King and Queen Jan. 19. 1689. 's Sermon before the Queen Jan. 24. 1690. Dr Hickman's Thanksgiving Sermon before the Honourable House of Commons Oct. 19. 1690. 's Sermon before the Queen at Whitehall Oct. 26. 1690. Dr Burnet's Answer to Mr Warren 's Consideration of Mr Warren's Defence Bishop of Bath and Wells Reflections on a French Testament Printed at Bordeaux s Christian Sufferer supported 8 vo Dr Grove now Lord Bishop of Chichester his Sermon before the King and Queen June 1. 1690. Dr Hooper's Sermon before the Queen Jan. 24. 1690 1. Dr Pelling's Sermon before the King and Queen Decem. 8. 1689. 's Vindication of those that have taken the Oath 4 to Dr Worthington of Resignation 8 vo 's Christian Love 8 vo Mr Nichols's Answer to the Naked Gospel 4 to Faith and Practice of a Church of England Man 12o. The Third Edition Religion the Perfection of Man By Mr Jeffery 8 vo Kelsey Concio de Aeterno Christi Sacerdotio The End of the Catalogue
had the generality of the Jews only some few excellent Persons to whom God vouchsafed a clearer Revelation This is manifest from the end of all their Sacrifices That they looked upon God as a Rewarder merciful and placable and that Expiation of sins might be made 4. We preach Christ Crucified That is The effect that so great an Example of Virtue ought to have upon our selves by an inward mortification of all those sins which were the cause of his sufferings This is that which the Scripture calls Phil. 3.10 the fellowship of his sufferings and to be made conformable to his death this Saint Paul did glory in this is that Christ Crucified the knowledge whereof he was so ambitious as without which all the other excellent ends of his Death would signify nothing but the aggravation of our sin and misery But the World called Christian thinks it now the greatest sign of its being so that it retains the Death of Christ in History and Speculation can make harangues upon his Vurtues and rhetorically set forth the Cruelty of his Passion We have more disputes concerning the spiritual Cross and virtue of his Death than Criticks have about the fashion of his material Cross infinitely more concerning the nature and power of the Sacraments than Physicians have about that part whence the Water and Blood did issue forth It is an easy way of satisfying punishment by the afflictions of another and scarce to have any sence of those stripes whereby we are healed As if imagination were as powerful in Religion as it is in nature that a strong belief of Election and imputative righteousness without performance of Christian Duties would avail to our Salvation Mistake not thy self fond Creature Christ died not to excuse thee from duty but from punishment on condition of that duty There is a Cross which thou must bear a Crucifixion which thou must undergo a heavy burden of sin which thou must feel thy heart also must be pierced before thou receivest any benefit from his Death His Blood is no Magical Amulet no unintelligible Weapon-salve to heal at any distance to Cure the wounds of sin without application its Virtue conveys not it self through hidden passages of the air to perfect the Cure without trouble or observation Thou must search and examine every Corner of thy Heart not spare the most beloved Pleasure nor the sin that doth most easily beset thee Canst thou think any thing too dear to forsake when it comes in competition with him who hath purchased thy love at so great a rate or think it reasonable to take delight in those sins which gave thy beloved Saviour so much pain and torment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Look upon me and be Religious was written on the Tomb of an Egyptian King Let us look a little upon him whom we have pierced Many and incomparable are the Virtues which shine forth in his bitter Passion proposed to our serious imitation Consider his Patience and submission to the Divine appointment Look unto Jesus who for the joy set before him endured the Cross despising the shame He was oppressed and afflicted yet opened he not his mouth he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter Can we then murmur at the punishments we have deserved when we see the purest innocence the most consummate goodness which had better deserved of the World so injuriously treated He understood better than any Man the intrinsick worth of all Worldly things yet did he not upon all occasions show the greatest slight and neglect of them Behold therefore the Cross of Christ by which the World is Crucified to thee and thou to the World A powerful Meditation to curb the motions of ambition and desires of earthly glory How can we refuse to be reconciled to any who have offended us when Christ died for us who were his greater Enemies Can we think on his Death as a propitiation to restore us to the favour of God and not receive our returning Brother into our favour This is Christianity indeed To imitate thy Saviour in so hard a duty Further why shouldst thou be troubled at the ingratitude thou meetest with from the World Hast thou done good and endeavoured to oblige by services of love Thou shalt have thy reward in the next Life This whole World is a reward too little for one truly virtuous action What though thy most religious intentions be mis-represented Be not discouraged Let not dis-ingenuity stop the Communications of thy Virtue and Goodness which if it had done in God we had not now been here to acknowledge our Great Benefactor Against this Doctrine of Christ Crucified which St. Paul 1 Cor. 15.3 the Epistle for this day first of all delivered That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures a Doctrine full of Divine Benignity and infinite consolation What is it that Jew or Gentile could object 1. To the Jews it was a stumbling block chiefly upon these accounts 1. The meanness of Christs appearance They expecting a triumphant Prince who should Conquer the World into their Domination 2. That the Messias should dy a full and sufficient Sacrifice signifying the abolishing the Ceremonies of their Law 3. That a great end of his Death was to reconcile Jew and Gentile and to unite the whole World in Love and the same Religion which contradicted that proud and envious temper whereby they thought none should have any benefit of the Messias his coming but those who became Proselytes to their Law which they believed to be Eternal All which scandals might easily be removed both from Scripture and their own antient Traditions 2. To the Greeks it was foolishness The high and towering speculations which filled the pages of their Philosophy had so puft up their understandings that the simplicity of Gospel Doctrine could not be admitted to any thing but contempt and scorn They could dogmatically refine concerning the Divine Goodness and its perpetual Emanations and thence deduce the eternity of matter the infinity of Worlds the generation of Souls and pre-existence their exile from primitive Happiness and lapse into mortal Bodies They often askt the Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what was the Origin of Evil but could never answer it they discoursed much of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a freedom of power to Act but gave no account how it is become weak and feeble of a Deification to be attained That their wise Man was the only rich beautiful person in the World happier than the Gods they being so by Nature but he by his own acquisitions They amuzed their Scholars with the Encomiums of such a Virtue as never was nor can be found These and such like were the lofty phancies upon which whilst their Imagination sat and looked down upon the plain Truths of the Christian Doctrine they must needs seem low and despicable Principles viz. That God did not only love the World of Mankind but sent his only Son to tell them so who after