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and fervent prayer。
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＇3＇ The substance of this paper was originally addressed； as a lecture；
to a clerical audience； at St。 Paul's Cathedral； on behalf of the
Homiletical Society。For a certain roughness and abruptness of style I
must apologize。 But my readers must kindly remember that the lecture
was spoken and not written； and is prepared for the press from the
notes of a shorthand writer。
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CHAPTER IV
1 Cor。 15：3…4。
FOUNDATION TRUTHS。
＇4＇
〃I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received； how that
Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures；
〃And that He was buried； and that He rose again the third day according
to the Scriptures。〃1 Cor。 15：3…4。
THE text which heads this paper is taken from a passage of Scripture
with which most Englishmen are only too well acquainted。 It is the
chapter from which the lesson has been selected； which forms part of
the matchless Burial Service of the Church of England。 Of all the
occasional services of the Prayer Book； none； in my humble judgment； is
more beautiful than this。 The good old 〃Book of mon Prayer；〃 we all
know； has no form or eliness in the eyes of some。 We have seen the
burial laws of this realm altered； and other 〃uses〃 sanctioned； and
introduced into our churchyards at funerals。 But of one tiling I am
very certain。 We shall never see the bodies of professing Christians
mitted to the ground with a wiser and better service than that of
the Anglican Liturgy。
The starting…point of the whole argument of this chapter will be found
in the two verses which form the text。 The Apostle opens by reminding
the Corinthians that〃 among the first things 〃which he delivered to
them； when he menced his teaching； were two great facts about
Christ： one was His death； the other was His resurrection。 The passage
seems to me to open up two subjects of deep interest； and to them I
invite the attention of all into whose hands this paper may fall。
I。 For one thing； let us mark well the primary truths which St。 Paul
delivered to the Corinthians。
II。 For another thing； let us try to grasp the reasons why St。 Paul
assigns to these truths such a singularly prominent position。
I。 What； then； were the things which the Apostle preached〃 first of
all；〃 that is； among the first things； at Corinth？
Before I answer that question； I ask my readers to pause awhile and
realize the whole position which St。 Paul occupied when he left Athens
and entered Corinth。
Here is a solitary Jew visiting a great heathen city for the first
time； to preach an entirely new religion； to begin an aggressive
Evangelistic mission。 He is a member of a despised people； sneered at
alike by Greeks and Romans； isolated and cut off from other nations； in
their own little corner of the earth； by their peculiar laws and
habits； and unknown to Gentiles either for literature； arms； arts； or
science。 The 〃bodily presence〃 of this bold Jew is 〃weak；〃 and his
〃speech；〃 pared to that of Greek rhetoricians；〃 contemptible〃 （2
Cor。 10：10）。 He stands almost alone in a city； famous all over the
world； even in the estimate of the heathen； for luxury； immorality； and
idolatry。 Such was the place； and such was the man！ A more remarkable
position it is hard to conceive。
And what did this solitary Jew tell the Corinthians？
What did he say about the great Head and Founder of the new faith which
he wanted them to receive in place of their ancient religion？ Did he
begin by cautiously telling them how Christ lived； and taught； and
worked miracles； and spake 〃as no man ever spake〃？ Did he tell them
that He had been rich as Solomon； victorious as Joshua； or learned as
Moses？ Nothing of the kind！ The very first fact he proclaimed about
Christ was that He died； and died the most ignominious death… the death
of a malefactor； the death of the cross。
And why did St。 Paul lay so much stress upon Christ's death rather than
His life？ Because； he tells the Corinthians； 〃He died for our sins。〃 A
deep and wonderful truth that； a truth which lay at the very foundation
of the whole religion which the Apostle came to preach！ For that death
of Christ was not the involuntary death of a martyr； or a mere example
of self…sacrifice。 It was the voluntary death of a Divine Substitute
for the guilty children of Adam； by which He made atonement for 〃 the
sin of the world。〃 It was a death of such mighty influence on the
position of sinful man before God； that it provided plete redemption
from the consequences of the fall。 In a word； St。 Paul told the
Corinthians that when Christ died； He died as the Representative of
guilty man； to make expiation for us by the sacrifice of Himself； and
to endure the penalty which we deserved。 〃He bore our sins in His own
body on the tree。〃 〃He suffered for sins； the just for the unjust； that
He might bring us to God。〃 〃He was made sin for us who knew no sin；
that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him〃 （1 Pet。 2：24；
3：18； 2 Cor。 5：21）。 A great and stupendous mystery； no doubt！ But it
was a mystery to which every sacrifice from the time of Abel had been
continually pointing for 4000 years。 Christ died 〃according to the
Scriptures。〃
The other great fact about Christ which St。 Paul placed in the front
part of his teaching was His resurrection from the dead。 He boldly told
the Corinthians that the same Jesus who died； and was buried； came
forth alive from the grave on the third day after His death； and was
seen； touched； handled； and talked to； in the body； by many petent
witnesses。 By this amazing miracle He proved； as He had frequently said
He would； that He was the promised and long…expected Saviour foretold
in prophecy； that the satisfaction for sin He had made by His death was
accepted by God the Father； that the work of our redemption was
pleted； and that death； as well as sin； was a conquered enemy。 In
short； the Apostle taught that the greatest of miracles had been
wrought； and that with such a Founder of the new faith which he came to
proclaim； first dying for our sins； and then rising again for our
justification； nothing was impossible； and nothing wanting for the
salvation of man's soul。
Such were the two great truths to which St。 Paul assigned the first
place； when he began his campaign as a Christian teacher at
Corinth；Christ's vicarious death for our sins； Christ's rising
again from the grave。 Nothing seems to have preceded them： nothing to
have been placed on a level with them。 No doubt it was a sore trial of
faith and courage to a learned and highly…educated man like St。 Paul to
take up such a line。 Flesh and blood might well shrink from it。 He says
himself； 〃I was with you in weakness and fear； and in much trembling〃
（1 Cor。 2：2…3）。 But by the grace of God he did not flinch。 He says； 〃I
determined not to know anything among you； save Jesus Christ and Him
crucified。〃
Nor did the case of Corinth stand alone。 Wherever the great Apostle of
the Gentiles went； he preached the same doctrine； and put it in the
forefront of his preaching。 He addressed very different hearers； and
people of very different minds。 But he always used the same spiritual
medicine； whether at Jerusalem； or Antioch in Pisidia； or Iconium； or
Lystra； or Philippi； or Thessalonica； or Berea； or Athens； or Ephesus；
or Rome。 That medicine was the story of the cross and the resurrection。
They crop up in all his sermons and Epistles。 You never go far without
ing across them。 Even Festus； the Roman governor； when he tells
AgripPsalms of Paul's case； describes it as hinging on 〃One Jesus；
which was dead； whom Paul affirmed to be alive〃 （Acts 25：19）。
（a） Now let us learn for one thing what were the leading principles of
that religion； which eighteen centuries ago came forth from Palestine；
and turned the world upside down。 The veriest infidel cannot deny the
effect that it produced on mankind。 The world before and the world
after the introduction of Christianity were as different worlds as
light and darkness； night and day。 It was Christianity that starved
idolatry； and emptied the heathen temples；that stopped gladiatorial
bats； elevated the position of women； raised the whole tone of
morality； and improved the condition of children and the poor。 These
are facts which we may safely challenge all the enemies of revealed
religion to gainsay。 They are facts which form one of the gravest
difficulties of infidelity。 And what did it all？ Not； as some dare to
say； the mere publication of a higher code of duty； a sort of improved
Platonic philosophy； without root or motive。 No！ it was the simple
story of the cross of Calvary； and the empty sepulchre in the garden；
the