Consider first, that on this day the church of God, to honour the passion of Christ, celebrates the yearly memorial of the finding of the cross, that sacred instrument of our redemption, sanctified by the blood of the Son of God. This holy tree of life had lain long deep buried in the earth, and a statue of Venus had been erected by the infidels over the place; when the pious empress St. Helen was inspired to seek after it, and at length happily discovered it, together with the title that had been fastened to it, and the nails with which our Lord had been pierced. This discovery of the cross of Christ was followed by illustrious miracles, to the greater glory of his name, who had humbled himself to the death of the cross for our redemption. Give thanks, Christians, for this miraculous finding of the cross of your redeemer. Turn this day your devotion towards the triumphs of his sacred passion; it was by the cross he was lifted up from the earth, and beginning his reign from that tree, he drew all things to himself. O beg of him now by all us mercy to draw at least your poor hearts to him!
Consider 2ndly, the lessons we are to learn by occasion of this festival; especially the dispositions we ought to be in with regard to the cross. If we have not the courage to seek it like St. Helen, at least we ought to receive it, when, without our seeking it, it comes to us from the hand of Providence; and to lay it upon our shoulders in order to follow him who redeemed us by the cross. O! if we did but know the measures of grace and of comfort here, and of heavenly glory hereafter, which are laid up for us in the cross, we should not only submit to it with patience, but embrace it with joy, as the inexhaustible source of all good both for time and eternity. Christians, assure yourselves there is no going to Heaven without a cross upon your shoulders. We must suffer with Christ before we can reign with him.
Consider 3rdly, that the cross is the school of all Christian virtues. As our Lord was pleased to give us most excellent lessons of them all from his cross, so he gives us the means and opportunity of exercising them all in the carriage of our crosses which he allots us. Here we learn to imitate his perfect conformity to the will of his Father; here we learn to practise his humility, by humbling ourselves under the hand of God; here we learn the practice of his meekness, his patience, his charity for his enemies, and his obedience unto death; and (which is hardest of all for us to attain to) his preferring in practice the poverty, pain, and ignominy of the cross, before all the riches, pleasures, and honours of this world. O blessed school in which we learn such heavenly lessons!
Conclude, if thou wouldst be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, not to fly from the cross, but to take it up willingly, wheresoever thou findest it, and to follow him. O never be of the number of those unhappy Christians whom the apostle laments as enemies of the cross of Christ; who, by indulging their passions and lusts, seek to bury the cross under the statue of Venus.
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