530- THE sncai#ìos OF cultist.. and pat to death by poison on this account, as Christ was by the cross ? Did he not bear his testimony to the truth of his doctrine, and seal it with his death as Jesusdid ? Do not the deists cry him up as a martyrfor the "unity of the true God," and the rulesof virtue," as our modern christians make Christ a mere martyr for his doctrine of reformation ? And had hé not. severaldisciples who taught his doctrine concerning the unity of God and the divine perfections ? And do they not declare the true sentiments of Socrates, their master, as the apostles declare the true doctrines of Christ ? But does himself, or any of his disciples. ever talk in such amanner about his death and the cup of poison, as Christ and his apostles do about the crüci fixion of the blessedJesus? Do the Greek,philosophers lay out such strange language upon it, and such various and hard tropes and figures to represent the great importance ofhis death to their practice of virtue, or the obtaining the divine favour? Doeshe ever say for himself, or did they ever say for him, " unless ye eat the flesh of Socrates, .ye cannot be philosophers," or that " Socrates gave his flesh for meat to the people, and for the life of the world, or gave himselfa ransom for many ?" Did Plato ever teach his pupils that they must be saved by the death of Socrates," or that " he reconciled them to God by his dying for them ?" Do they ever "glory in thepoison of Socrates, as St. Paul glories in the cross of Christ ?" When they taught the doctrines of Socrates concerning God, religion, and virtue, do they ever say, " we preach Socrates poisoned," as the apostles preached " Christ crucified," though Socrates died' by.poison, attesting the truth of his doctrine, as Christ died' by the cross to attest his ? Can it be supposed then that our Saviour's death held only the same place in his doctrine as the death of Socrates held inhis, that is, as an attestation to the truth of it, or sealing it with his blood ? Can we persuade ourselves, that when " St. Paul determined, to know nothing else amongst the Corinthians in comparisonofChrist andhim crucified," that he meant merely the martyrdom of Christ to attest the truths of natural religion, of which he was the restorer ? Surely the death of Christ upon the cross has something more to do in this our gospel, than the death of Socrates had in his philosophy ; it has more to do than merely to bear witness to the truth of his doctrine, and to con- vince the world that he was sent to publish it ; since his crucifixion and death, according to St. Paul's writing, lies as the foundation. of the gospel, that is, of the blessed tidings of peace and reconciliation to God, and the recovery of sinful men to holiness and happiness. The gospel is so much concerned in.the atoning sacrifice of Christ, that it is represented by the apostle, as a considerable and very important part of the message or " word of reconcilia-
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