were so prone, he used much excellency of speech. He exposed the vanities by which they were deceived. (xliv. 9-20.) He described the care and skill of the workmen, who fashioneth the idol, "fitteth it with planes, marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man.” Part of the wood he uses for ordinary purposes: "and the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me, for thou art my god."

Such language was well suited to convince all whose hearts were not altogether blinded, that they that make a graven image are all of them vanity."

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But this was excellency of speech and of wisdom, though it was wisdom taught of God. It was that sort of argument by which the minds of men are wont to be persuaded, and which those desire to use, who seek to gain authority and influence over their fellow creatures.

Paul says, that he came to the Corinthians with no such show of argument or reasoning. He did not discourse to them on the nature of happiness, and prove that they had sought it in many ways, but it was only to be found in obedience to God: he did not enlarge upon the faculties of the soul, or prove that it was not perishable like the body: but he simply declared the testimony of God, who "so loved the world, as to send his only begotten Son, that all that believe in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." I determined to know nothing among you, to profess or boast of no other know

ledge, save Jesus Christ: and to speak of him, not as a king clothed with honour and power, and obeyed by his subjects; not even as a prophet whom all men followed and held in reverence: but of him crucified, despised, rejected, "numbered with the transgressors."

That he who came to save the world, should have submitted to death at all, must seem a strange thing to the ears of men, who knew nothing of the counsels of God or the prophecies of Scripture. That he should be put to death by those whom he came to deliver, and that having been so put to death, he should still be able and willing to deliver them,would be more strange still. But that he should have died upon the cross, a death reserved for the basest malefactors, and held too vile even for a Roman citizen to undergo;-this, indeed, must have seemed foolishness to heathen ears, whether of the philosophers or of the common people: and we can well understand what Paul had in his mind, when he said, I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Perhaps, however, though the message which he brought was not such as man is likely to receive, the messenger was one whom they could not turn away from. Language flowed like honey from his lips, and he could either melt the hearers by his tenderness, or speak in words of thunder, and astonish them by his indignation. There was nothing of this kind.

3. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing

words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit

and of power:

5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

More of weakness seems to have encompassed Paul at Corinth than elsewhere. "His bodily presence was weak, and his speech contemptible;" so at least his enemies could find reason to affirm:-and it was there that the Lord saw fit to encourage him by an unusual assurance; saying to him in a vision, "Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city."

2

Therefore, that “many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized," was a manifest proof of the authority which supported him. It proceeded from the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.3 The Holy Ghost carried assurance to the hearts of those who heard, that the words were not the words of man, but of God.

But though the doctrine which he taught was not man's wisdom, not the wisdom of this world; still it was wisdom, and was acknowledged as such by the children of wisdom. Those whose hearts "the Lord opened to understand the things spoken," and to receive them, knew it to be wisdom.

6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even

1 1 Cor. x. 10.

4

3 See 1 Thess. i. 5.

2 Acts xviii. 9, 10. τελειοι οἱ πιστεύοντες.—Chrys.

S

the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8. Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

The wisdom of God in a mystery, is what Paul terms elsewhere "the mystery of godliness:5 God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." A scheme of mercy planned in God's counsels from the first, as appears throughout the Old Testament, now that light has been thrown upon the dark hints which it contains. But a hidden scheme, not understood by the princes of this world : neither by the chief priests and elders, who were the instructors of the people, nor by the magistrates who governed the land: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. So Peter charitably addressed his countrymen, "And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." 6 And the Lord himself had led the way, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

ד

Even now, the doctrine which Paul preached is the wisdom of God in a mystery. The light of the Holy Spirit must be communicated to the heart, before any one rightly understands Jesus Christ, and him crucified, to be the Lord of glory. Those are happy to whom that light is given; and of whom it may be said, as Jesus said to his disciples, Blessed are your

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eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

For

1 Tim. iii. 16.

6 Acts. iii. 17.

7 Luke xxiii. 24.

verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” 8

LECTURE LI.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE GOSPEL REVEALED AND RECEIVED THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF GOD.

1 COR. ii. 9-16.

9. But as it was written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of

God.

11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

The great men of the world, even the learned men, who professed to be teachers, knew not the counsels of God. It has ever been so. Isaiah made the same complaint many hundred years ago; by whom it is written, (lxiv. 4,) "Since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."

But what the heart cannot conceive, the counsels

8 Matt. xiii. 17.