The Cross

The makers and worshippers of images pretend to help us by pictures presented to the eye of the body . But it is not the eye of sense or force of imagination , but the eye of faith , that can give us true notions and right conceptions of this object (2 Cor .5:16 ) Men may paint Christ's outward sufferings , but not the inward excellency from whence their virtues flowed ,viz, his glory in himself , and his goodness to us . Men may paint one crucified ; but how can they distinguish the Saviour from the criminals ? On each side of him we may paint his hands and his feet fixed to the cross ; but who can paint how these hands used always to be stretched forth for relieving the afflicted and curing the diseased ; or hoe these feet always went about doing good , and how they cure more diseases and do more good now than ever ? We may paint the outward appearance of his sufferings , but not the inward bitterness or invisible causes of them . Men may paint the cursed tree , but not the curse of the law that made it so . Men may paint Christ bearing the cross to Calvary , but not Christ bearing the sins of many . We may describe the nails piercing the sacred flesh ; but who can describe eternal justice piercing both flesh and spirit ? We may describe the soldiers spear , but not the arrows of the Almighty ; The cup of vinegar which he but tasted , but not the cup of wrath which he drank out to the lowest dregs ; the derision of the Jews , but not the desertion of the Almighty forsaking his Son , that he might never forsake us who were his enemies .   John McLaurin