convert their souls : it was the doctrine of the cru- cifixion that he insisted on ; and he opened it to them in all its bearings and connexions. This he calls " the -preaching of the cross:" and it consisted of such a representation of " Christ crucified, as was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolish- ness ; but to the true believer, the power of God and the wisdom of God"." There were two particular views in which he invariably spoke of the death of Christ ; namely, as the ground of our hopes, and as the motive to our obedience.
In the former of these views, the Apostle not only asserts, that the death of Christ was the appointed means of effecting our reconcihation with God, but that it was the only means by which our reconci- liation could be effected. He represents all, both Jews and Gentiles, as under sin, and in a state of guilt and condemnation : he states, that, inasmuch as we are all condemned by the law, we can never be justified by the law, but are shut up unto that way of justification which God has provided for us in the GospeP. He asserts, that *' God hath set forth his Son to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness in the remis- sion of sins, that he may be just, and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus'^." He requires all, Jews as well as Gentiles, to beheve in Jesus, in order to the obtaining of justification by faith in him^: and so jealous is he of every thing that may interfere with this doctrine, or be supposed to serve as a joint ground of our acceptance with God, that he repre- sents the smallest measure of aflSance in any thing else as actually making void the faith of Christ, and rendering his death of no avaiP. Nay, more, if he himself, or even an angel from heaven, should ever be found to propose any other ground of hope to sinful man, he denounces a curse against him ; and, lest his denunciation should be overlooked, he repeats
"^ 1 Cor. i. 23, 24, « Gal. iii. 22. 2.3. ^ Rom. iii. 2.5, 26, e Gal, ii. 15, Hi. f Gal. v. 2- 1.