# 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.
By the late Pious and Godly, Mr JOHN WELSH, Miniſter of the Goſpel in Jedburgh.
JOHN iii. 14, 15.
FALKIRK: Printed and Sold by Patrick Mair,
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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