HOR^E HOMILETIC^E: ou DISCOURSES (PRINCIPALLY IN THE FORM OF SKELETONS) NOW FIRST DIGESTED INTO ONE CONTINUED SERIES, AND FORMING A COMMENTARY UPON EVERY BOOK OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT; TO WHICH IS ANNEXED, AN IMPROVED EDITION OF A TRANSLATION OP CLAUDE S ESSAY ON THE COMPOSITION OF A SERMON, IN TWENTY-ONE VOLUMES. BY THE REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A. SENIOR FELLOW OF KING S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. VOL. XVI. 1 & 2 CORINTHIANS. LONDON: HOLDS WORTH AND BALL, AMEN CORNER, PATERNOSTER ROW. MDCCC XXXIII. CONTENTS TO VOL. XVI. Discourse. Text. Subject. Page. 1 CORINTHIANS 1929. i. 49. The Blessings imparted by the Gospel 1 1930. i. 23, 24. The true Light in which the Gospel is to be regarded 7 1931. i. 2629. The Objects of God s Call 10 1932. i. 30, Christ is All in All 17 1933. ii. 2. Christ crucified, or evangelical Re ligion described 32 1934. ii. 3. The Feelings of a faithful Minister . 48 1935. ii. 4, 5. Apostolic Preaching 53 1936. ii. 6. Wisdom of the Gospel 57 1937. ii. 7. Mysteriousness of the Gospel . 64 1938. ii. 8. Ignorance of the Gospel, fatal 69 1939. ii. 9, 10. The Gospel a stupendous Mystery . 76 1940. ii. 10. The deep Things of God .... 82 1941. ii. 12, 13. Influences of the Spirit 88 1942. ii. 14. The natural Man s Ignorance of divine Things 93 1943. ii. 15, 16. Advantages of the spiritual Man . 99 1944. iii. 57. Undue Partiality to Ministers reproved 104 1945. iii. 11. Christ the only Foundation .... 109 1946. iii. 1215. Instructions to those who build upon the true Foundation 113 1947. iii. 16, 17. The Danger of defiling God s Temple 116 1948. iii. 18. The Means of attaining true Wisdom 120 1949. iii. 2123. The Christian s Privileges .... 133 1950. iii. 23. Believers are Christ s Property . 139 1951. iv. 1,2. Ministers, the Lord s Stewards . 142 1952. iv. 35. Paul s Indifference to Men s Judgment 145 1953. iv. 7. God to be acknowledged in every thing 148 1954. iv. 12, 13. 151 1955. iv. 21. An important Alternative .... 155 CONTENTS. Discount Test. Subject Page. 1956. 1957. 1 CORINTHIANS V. 6. v. 7, 8. Sin a malignant Leaven, .... Christ OUT Passover 158 163 1958. 1959. 1960. 1961. vi. 911. vi. 19, 20. vii. 16. vii. 24. God s Mercy to the vilest Sinners The Duty of devoting Ourselves to God The Importance of Family Religion . 166 170 173 177 1962. vii. 2931. Moderation in the Use of earthly 183 1963. vii. 32. o Aciainvt Carefulness 187 1964. 1965. viii. 2. ix. 16. Proper Accompaniments of Knowledge 190 198 1966. ix. 1923. The Nature and Extent of Christian Liberty 201 1967. 1968. ix. 24. ix. 26, 27. Directions for running our Race . The Manner in which St. Paid sought for Heaven 207 211 1969. 1970. 1971. x. 3, 4. x. 11. x. 12. The Manna and Rock Types of Christ The Judgments on the Israelites typical Aoainst Self-confidence 215 220 224 1972. 1973. 1974. 1975. x. 13. x. 15. x. 15. x. 15. The Security of God s tempted People Appeal to Men of Wisdom and Candour On the Corruption of Human Nature On the New Birth 226 229 239 250 1976. 1977. 1978. x. 15. x. 32,33. &xi. 1. xi. 24, 26. On Justification by Faith .... True Wisdom and Charity .... The Design and Importance of the Lord s Supper 266 283 290 1979. xi. 27, 29. On eating and drinking our own Damnation 292 1980. xi. 28. On the Preparation requisite before 295 1981. xii. 3. No Knowledge of Christ but by the 297 1982. 1983. xii. 11. xii. 13. The Operations of the Holy Spirit . 301 306 1984. 1985. 1986. 1987. xii. 31. xiii. 1 3. xiii. 4 7. Niii. 912. Gifts and Graces compared The Importance of Christian Charity A Description of Charity .... The Saints J ieit s in Heaven . 311 322 328 336 CONTENTS. Discourse. Text. Subject. Page. 1 CORINTHIANS 1988. xiii. 13. Faith, Hope, and Charity, compared 340 1989. xv. 1, 2. Christ a dying and a risen Saviour . 345 1QQO xv. 10. All of Grace . 351 1 *77\/ 1991. xv. 17, 18. j The Necessity of Christ s Resurrection 356 1992. xv. 22. Adam a Type of Christ .... 367 iqOQ xv. 31. Dying daily 370 1994. xv. 34. Shamefulness of being Ignorant of God 375 1995. xv. 51 58. Death a conquered Enemy .... 378 1996. xvi. 13 14. 384 1997. xvi. 22. Guilt and Danger of not loving Christ 388 2 CORINTHIANS 1998. i. 3, 4. The Trials and Consolations of Mi nisters useful to their People 393 1999. i. 12. The Testimony of a good Conscience . 399 2000. i. 13. The Churchman s Confession, or an Appeal to the Liturgy .... 406 2001. i. 20. The Stability of the Promises . 421 2002. i. 21, 22. Different Operations of the Holy Spirit 425 2003. ii. 11. The Devices of Satan exposed 428 2004. ii. 15, 16. The Importance of the Ministry . . 435 2005. iii. 2, 3. Christians are Epistles of Christ . 439 2006. iii. 5. The Extent of Man s Impotency . 445 2007. iii. 6. The Letter that killeth, and the Spirit 450 2008. iii. 6. The Law and the Gospel compared . 455 2009. iii. 711. The Glory of the Gospel above that of 461 2010. iii. 15, 16. The future Conversion of the Jews . 468 2011. iii. 17. Christ the Soul of the entire Scriptures 477 2012. iii. 18. Excellency and Efficacy of the Gospel 481 2013. iv. 4 6. The Contest between God and Satan 484 2014. iv. 7. Ministers, Bearers of a rich Treasure 488 2015. iv. 11. The Trials of Christians the Means of magnifying their Lord . . 492 2016. iv. 17, 18. The Christian sExpcrience inAffliction 498 2017. v. 15. The Christian s assured Prospect of 502 2018. v. 7. The Christian tvalking by Faith . 508 VJ11 CONTENTS. I 2 CORINTHIANS | 2019. v. 10, 11. ! The Improvement to be made of the Doctrine of a future Judgment . 2020. v. 14, 15. ! The Constraining Power of Christ Love 2021. v. 17. The Christian a new Creature 2022. v. 19, 20. The Ministry of Reconciliation . 2023. v. 21. The Way of Reconciliation with God 2024. vi. 1, 2. The Grace of God not to be received in vain 2025. vi. 4 10. The Character of a Christian Minister 2026. vi. 10. Paradoxical Experience .... 2027. vi. 1 1 13. Effects of the Gospel in enlarging the Heart 2028. vi. 14 18. Separation from the World enjoined . 2029. vii. 1. Sanctification wrought by the Promises 2030. vii. 3. | The Grounds of a Minister s Regard for his People 2031. vii. 10, 11. Repentance exemplified in the Co rinthian Church 2032. viii. 1 5. Liberality to the Poor 2033. viii. 7, 8. [Liberality to the Poor recommended . 2034. viii. 9. , The Grace of Christ 2035. viii. 13 15. Liberality encouraged 2036. ix. 12 15. The Benefit arising from Attention to the Poor 2037. x. 3 5. Efficacy of the Gospel 2038. x. 15, 16. \The faithful Minister s Desires . . 2039. x. 18. The Folly of Pride and Boasting . . 2040. xi. 2, 3. Godly Jealousy the Duty of Ministers 2041. xi. 2329. \St. Paul s Zeal illustrated and im proved 2042. xi. 29. | Christian Sympathy 2043. xii. 7 9. The Success of fervent Prayer . 2044. xii. 10. A Sense of Weakness conducive to | Strength ....... 2045. xii. 14. \TheDutyofMinisters 2046. xiii. 4. The Power of the risen Saviour . 2047., xiii. 5. Self-examination recommended 2048.J xiii. 14. The Apostolical Benediction 1 CORINTHIANS. MDCCCCXXIX. THE BLESSINGS IMPARTED BY THE GOSPEL. 1 Cor. i. 4 9. / thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge ; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift ; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ : who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. WE cannot but admire the address which is ma nifest in all the Epistles of St. Paul. He of course has frequent occasion to mention truths which are far from palatable to those to whom they are spoken : but he always introduces them in so kind a manner, and accompanies them with such expressions of the most unfeigned love, that it is almost impossible for any to be offended with him. He never shrinks from a faithful discharge of his duty : but he exerts himself always, to the utmost of his power, to heal the wounds which his fidelity inflicts. The Corinthian Church was in a far worse state than any other that he had occasion to address : indeed the manners of the Corinthians, previous to their conversion, were dissolute even to a proverb ; and therefore it is the less to be wondered at, that, after their conversion, inany of them should still need admonition on points which they had hitherto been accustomed to regard VOL. XVI. R I 3 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 49. [1929. as venial at least, if not altogether indifferent. On every thing necessary for their welfare, the Apostle here communicates his sentiments freely : but in the commencement of his epistle he makes no difference between the Corinthians and the purest of all the Churches. He knew that if many among them were corrupt, the great majority of them were sincere ; and therefore he comprehends them all in the first expressions of his regard, that he may afterwards have the more influence over those, whose errors he designed to rectify. And this by the way shews us, that, when we see in our Liturgy the same charitable expressions relative to the state of persons in our own Church, we ought not scrupulously to strain every word to the uttermost, but should allow the same latitude of expression in the one case as we do in the other. But not to dwell on this, we notice in this introductory acknowledgment of the Apostle, I. The blessings which the Gospel imparts The Gospel is no other than " a testimony" of Jesus. This was " the spirit of prophecy" under the Old Testament 3 ; and it is the spirit of all the writings in the New Testament. What the testimony was, is declared with great precision by St. John : " This is the record, that God hath given to us eter nal life ; and this life is in his Son ; he that hath the Son, hath life ; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not lifeV The believer has this testimony " confirmed in him." There are two ways in which this testimony is confirmed : the one is externally, by signs and miracles ; the other is internally, by the operation of the Spirit of God upon the soul. The Corinthians had had it confirmed to them in both ways : for no Church exceeded them in miraculous gifts ; and in the change wrought upon their own souls, they had an evidence of the truth and power of the Gospel : they had an evidence of it in " the grace which had been given them by Jesus Christ." 8 Rev. xix. 11. 1 John v. 11, 12. 1 Cor. xii. 10. 1929.1 BLESSINGS IMPARTED BY THE GOSPEL. , 3 Two things in particular they had received, which served to mark the saving efficacy of the Gospel ; namely, 1. An enlightened mind [They had been " enriched by Christ with all utterance and all knowledge." Distinct from miraculous gifts, there is in believers a knowledge of an experimental kind, and an ability also to declare that knowledge with ease and preci sion. It is a knowledge derived from the heart, rather than from the understanding ; even such as Solomon refers to, when he says, " The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips d ." St. John speaks of this when he says, " He that believeth in the Son of God hath the wit ness in himself 6 ." There is a perfect correspondence between the divine record concerning Christ, and the feelings of the believer s soul : he feels that he needs such a salvation as Christ offers, and that there is in Christ a sufficiency for all his wants : and in speaking of these things every believer throughout the universe is agreed. As in all human beings, notwithstanding some minute differences, there are the same general features belonging to the body ; so in the minds of all believers there is, notwithstanding a diversity in smaller matters, a correspondence in their general views and senti ments ; they all confess themselves to be sinners saved by grace through the Redeemer s blood. Others, who are not true believers, may have the same creed ; but they have not these truths written in their hearts ; nor can they speak of them from their own experience : this is the portion of the true believer only ; and it is a portion, in comparison of which all the knowledge in the universe and all the wealth of the Indies are but dross and dung f .] 2. A waiting spirit [The Corinthians " came behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." The saints under the Mosaic dispensation waited for the first advent of our Lord : those under the Christian dispensation wait for his second advent, when he will come again from heaven in power and great glory, to gather together his elect, and to put them into full possession of their destined inheritance. The first Chris tians thought this period very near at hand: we who live almost 1800 years after them, believe that it is yet distant; because there are many prophecies not yet fulfilled, which must receive an accomplishment before the arrival of that time. But, as far as respects us individually, the time is near to every (l Prov. xvi. 23. e I John v. 10. f Phil. iii. 8. p I) /v 4 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 49. [1929. one of us, even at the door ; for, on the instant of our depar ture from the body, we are borne into the presence of our Judge, and have our portion for ever fixed. Hence the believer waits for his dissolution, as the promised commence ment of everlasting joys. Others may wait, and even long, for death, as a termination of their sorrows ; but it is the believer alone who " looks for and hastes unto the coming of the day of Christ," as the completion and consummation of all his joys. Others may affect heaven as " a rest " from trouble,- but the believer alone pants for it as a rest in God. In the view of that day, " he is sober, and hopes to the end for the grace that shall be brought unto him at the revelation of Jesus Christ g ."] But from our text we are led to notice farther, II. The blessings which the Gospel secures God in calling us to the knowledge of his Son, calls us also to a fellowship with his Son, in all the blessings both of grace and glory : and where he gives the former of these blessings, there he engages to impart the latter also. On this ground, the promise of a faithful God, the Apostle assured the Corinthians of, 1. Their continued preservation [" He shall confirm you unto the end," says he. If believers were left to themselves, they would have no prospect of ever enduring to the end. So many and so great are the difficulties which they have to contend with, that they could have no hope at all. But God undertakes for them, to " keep them by his own power ihrough faith unto salvation." He engages both for himself and for them: for himself, that " he will not depart from them to do them good :" and for them, that " he will put his fear into their hearts, so that they shall not depart from himV If they offend him by any violation or neglect of duty, " he will visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes : but his loving-kindness will he not utterly take from them, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail : for once he has sworn by his holiness, that he will not lie unto David ." So fully assured of this truth was Paul in relation to the Philippian Church, that he declared himself " confident of this very thing, that He who had begun a good work in them would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ k :" and the same confidence we may feel in relation to every true believer, that " none shall ever separate him from the love of * 1 Pet. i. 13. h Jer. xxxii. 10. 1 Ps. Kxxix. 3035. k Phil. i. (j. 1929.] BLESSINGS IMPARTED BY THE GOSPEL. 5 Christ 1 ." God pledges his own word, that " he will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able m ," but that "he will perfect that which concerneth them." When therefore we " pray to God that our whole spirit, soul, and body may be preserved blameless unto his heavenly kingdom," we are authorized to add, " Faithful is he who hath called us ; who also will do it"."] 2. Their ultimate acceptance [" He will preserve us, that we may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." " Blameless" in some respect his people already are, inasmuch as the Lord Jesus Christ has washed them in his blood, and pronounced them "clean ." But in the last day we shall be blameless in ourselves, as well as in him ; being not only justified, as we now are, by his blood, but sanctified also by his Spirit, and transformed into the perfect image of our God. Then " will Christ present us to himself, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ; yea, holy, and without blemish p :" and in the meantime he will, by his almighty and all-sufficient grace, "strengthen, and esta blish, and settle us even to the end q ." Thus does God assure to his people their continued preser vation, and their ultimate acceptance with him: and he pledges his own faithfulness for the performance of his word. But let no man imagine that these truths supersede the necessity of care and watchfulness on our part ; for God will never fulfil his promise to us but through the instrumentality of our exertions. Hence he requires every exertion on our part, precisely as if he had left the final issue solely dependent on our own efforts ; and suspends his promised mercies altogether on the performance of our duties. To obtain his final accept ance of us as blameless, we must hold fast our faith : " He will present us holy and unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight, if we continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel r ." We must also abound in love; we must " increase and abound in love one towards another, to the end that he may establish our hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints 8 ." We must also use all diligence in every duty ; for it is by dili gence that we are to " make our calling and election sure" and that we are to be "found of him at last in peace, without spot and blameless*" 1 Rom. viii. 38, 39. " 1 Cor. x. 13. n 1 Thess. v. 23, 21. John xv. 3. P Eph. v. 27. i 1 Pet. v. 10. r Col. i. 22, 23. s 1 Thess. iii. 12, 13. 1 2 Pet. i. 10. and iii. 14. 6 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 49. [1929. Here we see that the very things which God lias promised to us, are to be obtained through the medium of our own faith and love and diligence. Without these, the end shall never be obtained (for God has connected the end with the means) : but through the continued exercise of these, the end is secured beyond a possibility of failure. " God cannot deny himself u :" and his word, confirmed as it is by covenant and by oath, can never fail x . " Heaven and earth may pass away : but his word shall never pass away y ."] APPLICATION 1 . Be thankful if you are partakers of this grace [St. Paul " thanked God always on the behalf" of the Corinthians on this account: how much more therefore should those be thankful, who have received the benefit ! To possess this experimental knowledge of the Gospel salvation, and to enjoy these blessed prospects of immortality and glory, is the highest felicity of man. Having these " things which accom pany salvation," we need not covet any other good, or regret any attendant evil : we have the richest blessings that God himself can bestow.] 2. Be careful to walk worthy of it [The mercies of God to us call for a suitable requital : and the requital which he desires is, a total surrender of ourselves to him 2 . The thing which God designs, in the communication of his mercy to us, is, to " keep us blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus." Let that then be our end in the improve ment of them, even to be " blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, shining among them as lights in a dark world*."] 3. Remember in whom all your strength is [Of yourselves you can do nothing. It is God, and God alone, that can " confirm you unto the end." He who has been " the Author, must also be the Finisher," of your salvation. It is " He that must work all your works in you:" " all your fresh springs must be in him." Know then, that " he is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy b :" and he will do it, if you rely upon him ; for St. Paul expressly says, The Lord is faithful, who will stablish you, and keep you from evil ." To him therefore, even " to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, now and for ever. AmenV ] " 2 Tim. ii. 13. x Heh. vi. 18. y Matt. xxiv. 3o. 2 Rom. xii. 1. Phil. ii. 1.5. b Jude, ver. 21. c 2 Thess. iii. ;$. <i Judo, ver. 25. 1930.] HOW THE GOSPEL IS TO BE REGARDED. 7 MDCCCCXXX. THE TRUE LIGHT IN WHICH THE GOSPEL IS TO BE REGARDED. 1 Cor. i. 23, 24-. We preach Christ crucified ; unto the Jetcs a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness ; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. THERE is a disposition in man to dictate to God, rather than to receive from him what he is pleased to give. Though this is not right, nor should ministers gratify it, yet they should consult men s prejudices, and " seek to please them for their good." The Jews and Greeks sought what from their education they had been accustomed* to admire: but St. Paul, not withstanding his readiness to yield in all things that were less important, was compelled to make the strain of his preaching directly opposite to their corrupt desires. " The Jews require, &c. ; but we preach, &c." I. The great subject of the Christian ministry The Apostle designates this by " preaching the Gospel," " preaching the cross," " preaching Christ and him crucified :" but in " preaching Christ crucified" he did not confine himself to an historical relation of the fact, or a pathetic description of it. To fulfil the true end of the Christian ministry, we must, 1. Declare the nature of Christ s death [This in appearance was only like that of the malefactors that suffered with him; but it was a true and proper sacrifice to God. In this light it was characterized by the whole Mosaic ritual 3 : in this light it was foretold by the prophets b : in this light it is plainly represented throughout the New Testa ment ; and unless it be preached in this view, we do not, in the Apostle s sense, preach Christ crucified.] 2. Set forth the benefits resulting from it [There is not any one spiritual benefit which must not be a The sacrifices were types of the atonement. " Isai. liii. 5, 6, 10. c Matt. xxvi. 28. 1 Cor. v. 7. Heh. ix. 2(>. Eph. v. 2. 8 1 CORINTHIANS, I. &J, 24. [1930. traced to this source ; pardon, peace, holiness, glory, are its proper fruits. Without the atonement we could have received nothing; but by and through it we may receive every thing. This also must " be distinctly inculcated, if we would approve ourselves faithful stewards of the mysteries of Christ.] 3. Persuade men to seek an interest in it [We find men filled with self-righteous conceits, and with great difficulty brought to renounce them : we must therefore argue with them, and urge upon them all the most powerful considerations : we must address ourselves to their passions as well as their understanding; and gain their affections on the side of truth. It was thus that Paul preached Christ; and it is thus only that Christ crucified can be preached aright.] II. The manner in which it was, and is still, received As there were differences of opinion respecting our Lord himself, some accounting him a good man, and others a deceiver, so are there respecting his Gospel 1. Some reject it with contemptuous abhorrence [Jews and Greeks were equally averse to it, though on different grounds. The Jews did not understand the true nature and scope of their law : hence they supposed that the Gospel was opposed to it, and that Christ was an enemy to Moses: and notwithstanding all the evidence they had of Christ s Messiahship, they rejected him from a pretended want of proof of his divine mission. The Greeks had been habituated to philosophical researches, and rejected the Gospel because there was nothing in it to flatter the pride of human reason : both these kinds of characters yet exist, and oppose the Gospel with equal acrimony ; to some it is " a stumbling-block," as appearing to set aside good works ; to others it is " foolishness," as militating against their preconceived notions of rational re ligion. And if it be not so dispensed by us as to call forth such treatment from such characters, we have reason to believe that we do not preach the Gospel as Paul preached it.] 2. Others receive it with the deepest reverence [There are some " called," not by the outward word only, but by the internal and effectual operations of the Spirit. These, whatever have been their disposition in times past, have their eyes open to behold the Gospel in a far different light. To them the doctrine of " Christ crucified" is " the power of God :" they see that it is that, by which God has converted myriads to himself: they feel also that it is that, to which alone they can ascribe their own conversion ; and they know that nothing can ultimately withstand its power. To them it \ 1930. J HOW THE GOSPEL IS TO BE REGARDED. 9 is also " the wisdom of God :" they behold in it every perfection of the Deity united and glorified, whilst on any other plan of salvation some of his perfections must be exalted at the expense of others : they see it also to be suited to the state of every individual in the universe, whilst every other plan of salvation is suited to those only who have been moral, or who have a long time before them to amend their lives. Above all, they view it as bringing the greatest good that ever was vouchsafed, out of the greatest evil that ever was committed. No wonder that they " count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of it."] ADDRESS 1. Those who, like the Greeks, have a high opinion of their reasoning powers [You have just cause to be thankful for strength of intellect; but the province of reason is, to submit itself to God. God has not opened to your reason any one thing perfectly, either in creation or providence : be not surprised then if you cannot fathom all the mysteries of his revealed will : your wisdom is to become as little children ; and if you will not condescend to be taught of Him, he will take you in your own craftiness* 1 .] 2. Those who, like the Jews, are concerned about the interests of morality [Did morality suffer in the life of Paul, or of the first Christians ? Does it in the lives of many who now profess the Gospel ? Are they not now condemned as much for the strict ness of their lives as for the strangeness of their principles ? Yea, does not morality suffer through the neglect of this preach ing? Let not Christ then be a stumbling-block to you, but rather a sanctuary. If you reject Christ, however good your motive may appear to be, your misery will be sure e .] 3. Those who embrace, and glory in, a crucified Saviour [Contemplate more and more the wisdom and power of God as displayed in this mystery, and endeavour more and more to adorn this doctrine in your lives. Let it never become a stumbling-block or foolishness through any misconduct of yours : let it be seen by your prudence, that it is true wisdom ; and by your piety, that it is the parent of every good work.] d ver. 19, 25. e ver. 18. with 2 Cor. iv. 4. 10 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 2629. [1931. MDCCCCXXXI. THE OBJECTS OK GOD S CALL. 1 Cor. i. 26 29. Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called : but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty ; and base things of the tvorld, and things rvhich are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things ivhich are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence. IT is manifest to the most superficial observer, that the Gospel, wherever it comes, meets with a very different reception from different people ; some accounting it foolishness, whilst others regard it as the wisdom of God and the power of God a . That we must trace this to the dispositions of men, is cer tain ; because the guilt of rejecting the Gospel must lie upon the sinner himself : yet, inasmuch as a love of the truth is not attainable by mere human efforts, we must acknowledge God as the true and only source of that difference which appears. If he did not interpose, all would equally despise the Gospel : it is his grace which makes the distinction, and causes some to overcome the corruptions of their nature, and to accept his proffered salvation. To unravel this mystery, or at least to throw light upon it, we shall shew, I. Who are the objects of his choice God s thoughts and ways are not only far above ours, but often directly contrary to ours. He has not chosen " the wise, the noble, and the mighty "- [He has not indeed excluded these ; for he invites them all ; and no more wills the death of them, than he does the death of any others : but he has not chosen them either in preference to the poor, or even in comparison of them. Some there have been in every age, who were possessed of much ver. 23, 24. 1931.] THE OBJECTS OF GOD S CALL. 11 human wisdom, and power, and wealth. God would not pass by them altogether, lest it should appear as if the possession of earthly wisdom and power were an insurmountable obstacle to the reception of the truth ; or lest the embracing of his salva tion should be thought incompatible with natural abilities, or intellectual attainments. Among the Corinthians there were Crispus and Sosthenes, chief rulers of the synagogue b : and Gaius, a man of wealth and of an enlarged heart ; and Erastus, the chamberlain of the city c . Some few others were num bered with the disciples : there was Joseph of Arimathea, a rich and honourable counsellor d ; and Sergius Paulus, a Ro man deputy, famed no less for his wisdom than his power 6 . But if we were to collect the names of all, they would bear no proportion to the numbers of those who composed the Church of Christ. Though therefore there were some, there were " not many " of this description called.] The objects of his choice are, the weak, the ignoble, the illiterate [As we do not say that these are chosen exclusively, so neither do we say that they are chosen universally ; for, alas ! there are myriads of poor who are as ignorant and depraved as it is possible for any of the rich to be. But the great majority of the Lord s people are of this description. They have not rank, or learning, or wealth, or great abilities, or any of those things which would recommend them to earthly preferments. This was the case with the first teachers of Christianity : they were, for the most part, poor illiterate fishermen and mechanics. And they who have been their followers have been almost entirely of the middle and lower classes of society. Who are the persons in every town and village who most welcome the preaching of the Gospel ? Who are the people that are glad to avail themselves of all the spiritual instruction they can get? Who are they that will be thankful to you for speaking closely to their consciences, and for warning them of their danger? Who are they who will go miles every sabbath to a place where the Gospel is faithfully preached, notwithstanding, when they come thither, they can scarcely be accommodated with a seat whereon to rest ? Who are they that love social meetings for reading the word of God and prayer ; and that make it their meat and their drink to do the will of God? In short, Who are they that prove their effectual " calling," by turning " from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God f ?" Ai e these the rich, the great, the learned? or are they b Acts xviii. 8, 17. c Rom. xvi. 23. rt Matt, xxvii. 57. Mark xv. 43. e Acts xiii. 7. f Acts xxvi. 18. 12 1 CORINTHIANS, 1. 2629. [1931. the poor and unlearned? Let observation and experience decide the point. " You see your calling, brethren :" look at it, and judge * : We are not afraid to make our appeal to your selves ; for God himself appeals to you ; and thereby makes you judges in your own cause h . We know that these facts give umbrage to many : but however the proud may find in these things an occasion of offence, our blessed Lord saw nothing in them but ground for praise and thanksgiving 1 .] Our subject leads us to notice, II. The immediate effect of that choice We are told that Noah, in building the ark, " con demned the world k ." A similar effect is produced by the peculiar mercy vouchsafed to the poor. The great and learned, though " they shame the counsel of the poor 1 ," yet are ashamed" 1 and confounded when they see, 1 . Their superior discernment [Many of the wise, like the Scribes and Pharisees of old. are conversant with the Holy Scriptures, and extremely well instructed as to the letter of them. From hence they suppose that they must necessarily enter into the spirit of them, and be as superior to others in a comprehension of divine truth, as they are in wealth or talents. But when they come to con verse with one who has been " called out of darkness into God s marvellous light"," they begin to feel their own igno rance, and to wonder at the depth and clearness of the per son s knowledge. They cannot conceive how an unlettered person should attain such just and comprehensive views, which they with all their application have not been able to acquire . They do not reflect on what God has told them, that " the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God ;" and that the knowledge of them must be obtained by means of a spiritual discernment 11 . They, through the pride of their hearts, presume to bring divine truths to the bar of their own reason ; and thus are led to account them foolishness : but the humble disciple of Jesus willingly receives all that God speaks ; and to him " every word is both plain and right" 1 ." But all this is a mystery to those who are " wise 8 It is just as in the clays of old : Matt. xi. 5. John vii. 47, 48. Mark xii. 3. h Jam. ii. 5. * Matt. xi. 25, 26. k Heb. xi. 7. 1 Ps. xiv. (). "i Ka-airrxiirT). n 1 Pet. ii. 9. Prov. xxviii. 11. Pi Cor. ii. l 1. i Prov. viii. 9. 1931.1 THE OBJECTS OF GOD S CALL. 13 after the flesh," a mystery which mortifies their pride, and inflames their wrath r .] 2. Their indifference to the world [The men of letters and of wealth, instead of rising above the world, are really its greatest slaves. To enjoy its pleasures, its riches, and its honours, is the summit of their ambition. They, on the contrary, who are " chosen of God and called 8 ," are enabled to renounce the world, and to regard it no more than they would a crucified object, with whom they have no further connexion*. Now when these persons shew, by their heavenly conversation, that they consider themselves as mere pilgrims and sojourners here, and that " they are look ing for a better country, that is, an heavenly"," the poor slaves of this world cannot comprehend it. They wonder how any should be so indifferent to the things of time and sense, so bold to encounter the frowns and contempt of all around them, and so immoveable in their adherence to such exploded sentiments and conduct. They know that they themselves could not act in such a manner ; and they are unable to account for it in others. But if they understood those words, " This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith x ," they would cease to wonder; yea, they would rather wonder that the operations of faith were not yet more uniform and extensive.] 3. Their delight in holy exercises [The wise, and mighty, and noble will often perform religious duties with a commendable regularity : but they comply with them rather as the institutions and customs of their country, than as exercises in which they find any plea sure, or from which they expect to derive any present benefit. It is far otherwise with the poor, weak, despised followers of Christ: they engage in these employments with delight: they look forward to the returning seasons of devotion with unfeigned joy : and, though they cannot always maintain a spiritual frame in them, yet there is no other employment so pleasing to them, or so productive of permanent satisfaction. Now this also appears strange and unaccountable to them that are yet in their unconverted state : they cannot conceive how it should be, that persons should multiply their seasons of worship, and put themselves to much expense and trouble in attending on them, without any apparent necessity. They can ascribe it to nothing but enthusiasm or hypocrisy. They are constrained however to confess, that, if religion so abstracts r John ix. 34. Rev. xvii. 14. Gal. vi. 14. u Heb. xi. 1316. * 1 John v. 4. II. 1 CORINTHIANS, I. G 29. [1931. the mind from earthly things, and so inclines us to set our affections on things above, their hopes and prospects are " brought to nought. Thus as the Gentiles, who were scarcely regarded as having any existence, were made use of by God to bring to nought the Jewish polity, in which all that iras valuable was supposed to be contained?; so the spirituality of real Christians is yet daily made use of by God to bring to nought the pride of wisdom, the power of greatness, and the fond conceits of pharisaic morality.] But let us examine yet further III. Its ultimate design- God, as it becomes him, consults in all things his own glory. In this dispensation more especially, He has provided, " that no flesh should glory in his presence "- [It would not become his Majesty to suffer any of his creatures to assume honour to themselves : it is meet and right that all should acknowledge him to be the one source of all their happiness. As he is the Author of their being, they cannot but be indebted to him for all their powers ; and as he is the one Restorer of those powers, both by the blood of his Son and the agency of his Spirit, he must have the glory of all which may be wrought by them ; none must stand in competi tion with him ; nor must any presume to claim the smallest share of that honour which is due to him alone.] The dispensation is admirably calculated to insure his end [If the wise and noble were called in preference to others, they would infallibly arrogate to themselves, in part at least, the honour of that distinction : they would either think that they had effected the change in themselves by their own power, or that God had had respect to them on account of super-eminent worth. But by the preference given to the poor, all occasion for such boasting is cut off. The rich can not boast, because they have nothing to boast of. The poor cannot boast, as if God had respected their superior talents ; for they feel and know assuredly that they had no such supe riority, but directly the reverse. The few rich and wise that are among them cannot boast, because they find that they y Tliis is the meaning of those expressions, " things which are not ;" and "things which are." Compare 2 Rsdras vi. 56. 57. and the Apocryphal Esther, iv. 11. with Rom. iv. 17- 1931.] TIIE OBJECTS OF GOD S CALL. 15 are few in number, and that the great majority of those who are as wise and great as themselves, have made use of their talents, only to harden themselves in infidelity, and to justify their rejection of the Gospel. Hence they are constrained to confess, that it is " God who has made them to differ 2 ," and that " by the grace of God they are what they are 3 ."] Many and important are the lessons which we may LEARN from hence 1. That God acts sovereignly in the disposal of his gifts- [We should not hesitate, if any one presumed to direct us in the disposal of our own favours, to put this question to him ; " Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own b ?" Yet we are offended if God assert this liberty, and we think ourselves injured if any be chosen by him in pre ference to us. But how unreasonable and absurd is this! It is unreasonable, because we have no claim upon him for the smallest benefits. Who imagines that the fallen angels have any ground of complaint against him for withholding a Saviour from them, while he provided one for us? Yet they are a superior order of beings to us, and therefore might have been supposed more worthy of God s attention. What right then can any of us have to murmur, if he be pleased to impart sal vation itself to some and not to others, when none possess the smallest title above their brethren? But it is absurd also: for God will not alter his dispensations because we choose to quarrel with them. That he does act in this sovereign manner we cannot doubt ; for he dispenses his temporal favours according to his own will ; and sends his Gospel to us, while it is withheld from far the greater part of the world : and he tells us no less than three times in the short compass of our text, that he has "chosen" some in preference to others. Let us not then dare to "reply against God r :" but, while we confess his right to confer his benefits on whomsoever he will d , let us humbly implore an interest in his favour, and lie as clay in his hands, that he may, for his own glory sake, fashion us as " vessels of honour meet for the Master s use e ."] 2. That there is not so much inequality in the Divine dispensations as we are apt to imagine [It is certainly God who causes some to be born to ease and affluence, whilst others are born to labour and penury. In a time of health there may not be any great difference z 1 Cor. iv. 7. * 1 Cor. xv. 10. h Matt. xx. 15. c Rom. ix. 20. rt Rom. ix. 1. ) 18. e Rom. ix. 21 23. 1G 1 CORINTHIANS, 1. 26 9. [193L. between them : but what is there in a time of sickness ! The one has all the comforts of medical aid, of numerous atten dants, of delicacies suited to his appetite ; whereas the other, in a cold and comfortless habitation, is without food, without fuel, without friends, his wife and children as well as himself almost perishing for want, destitute of every thing proper for his disorder, and subsisting only by the scanty pittance hardly obtained, and grudgingly bestowed by an unfeeling dispenser of the public chanty. Compare these; and there appears as wide a difference between them as can well be imagined. But pause a moment : Is this the whole of God s dispensations towards them? Can we find nothing to counter balance this inequality ? Yes : look to the spiritual concerns of these two persons : perhaps, like Dives and Lazarus, the one has his portion in this life, and the other in the next : perhaps God has said to the one, " Enjoy all that the world can bestow;" to the other, " Enjoy my presence, and the light of my countenance :" to the one, " Be rich in learning, wealth, and honour;" to the other, " Be rich in faith and good works:" to the one, " Possess thou kingdoms for a time ;" to the other, " Be thou an heir of my kingdom for evermore." Now, though this is not God s invariable mode of dealing with men, (for there are some who are poor in both worlds, and others rich,) yet it accords with the general tenour of his proceedings : it accords also with the text, and therefore is peculiarly proper lor our present consideration. Take then the whole of his dispensations together, and it will be found that the spiritual advantages conferred upon the poor are more than an equiva lent for any temporal disadvantages they may labour under. Let the rich then not pride themselves on their distinctions f ; for " it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for them to enter into the kingdom of heaven g : nor let the poor, on the other hand, be dejected on account of their present troubles ; for God has chosen them (if they do not despise their birthright) to be partakers of his richest blessings, even life for evermore 11 : but let all, whether rich or poor, seek to have " God himself for the portion of their cup, and for the lot of their inheritance 1 ."] 3. That they are the wisest people who covet the best gifts- fit is generally accounted folly to " seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness 15 ;" but the time will come when it will appear to have been the truest wisdom. Indeed " the fear of the Lord is the very beginning of wisdom 1 ;" insomuch f 1 Tim. vi. 17. * Matt. xix. 23, 24. h Jam. ii. 5. Ps. xvi. -=i. * Matt. vi. 33. Ps. cxi. 10. 1932. j CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL. 17 that all who are not possessed of that, whatever else they may possess, are no better than fools in God s estimation. Let us not then be deceived by the glare and glitter of the world. Let us view things as God himself views them. Let us confess that it is better to be among " the foolish, the weak, the base, the despised, the mere nonentities of this world," and attain eternal happiness at the last; than to be among " the wise, the mighty, and the noble," and to " have our good things in this life only" 1 ." We beg leave however to repeat, that the rich will not be excluded from God s kingdom, if they do not exclude them selves ; nor, on the other hand, will the poor be admitted into it, if they do not " strive to enter in at the strait gate"." Whatever we be in respect of our worldly conditions, we shall be admitted by the Bridegroom, if we be found among the wise virgins : but "the foolish shall not stand in his sight; for he hateth all the workers of iniquity p ."] m Luke xvi. 2.5. n Luke xiii. 24. Matt. xxv. 8 10. P Ps. v. 5. MDCCCCXXXII. CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL. 1 Cor. i. 30. Of him arc ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. HABITUATED as we have been from our early childhood to read the Holy Scriptures, and to hear them read in public, it is surprising that we do not gain a more clear and accurate knowledge of their contents. But experience shews, that, however strongly the inspired writers have declared the re vealed will of God, it is but very partially and imperfectly known amongst us. The fact is, that we do not sufficiently consider the import of what we read. We pass over the most plain and significant expressions, without considering what is contained in them. When we read of a Saviour, we do not advert to the awful truth comprehended in that word, namely, that in ourselves we are utterly and eternally lost. In other words, we are very little affected with what is expressed in Scripture, because VOL. xvi. c 18 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 30. [1932. we do not pause to inquire into what those ex pressions hnply. That we suffer great loss by this inadvertence is evident from what our blessed Lord taught respecting the resurrection of our bodies to eternal life. The Sadducees could not find that doctrine contained in the Holy Scriptures, or at all events not in the Pentateuch, which alone they re garded as of divine authority. Our Lord appealed to the name of Jehovah as proclaimed in the Penta teuch, namely, as " the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Now, says our Lord, consider what is implied in that name. Jehovah, as their God, is the God of their whole persons, their bodies as well as their souls ; and, if their bodies are not to be raised again, that relation between God and them, so far as respects their bodies, is dissolved. But that relation never can be dissolved : therefore their bodies must be raised again, and be re-united to their souls, that so those departed saints may, in their whole and entire persons, for ever serve and enjoy their God a . Now I would wish to commend to you the passage before us in this peculiar view. St. Paul is shewing the Corinthians, that they neither have, nor ever can have, any thing to boast of; since " God has chosen the poor, and the weak, and the foolish, in preference to the rich, the mighty, and the wise ;" and since whatsoever any of them may have, they have it solely in Christ, who of God is made to them wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption ; and that consequently, whosoever glories, must glory, not in himself, but in the Lord alone. In order that we may unfold these words to the greater advantage, we shall, in accordance with this hint, consider, first, What is implied in them, and then, What is expressed. Now if we will duly consider these words, we shall see this evidently implied in them : first, that we are destitute of all good in ourselves, and, secondly, that we are incapable of acquiring it by any power of our a Matt. xxii. 32. 1932. J . CHRIST IS ALL IX ALL. 19 own. On a supposition that either of these positions were not true, what occasion would there be that all good should be treasured up for us in another, to be received from him ? But they are true. It is a fact, that we are destitute of all good in ourselves ; for in ourselves we are ignorant, guilty, polluted, and en slaved. We are ignorant. What do we by nature know of ourselves? What know we of the corruption of the human heart ? God himself has told us, that in the heart of man there are depths of iniquity alto gether unfathomable, and workings that are utterly unsearchable : the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked : Who can know it ? And what know we of God? of his holiness, which cannot behold iniquity without the utmost abhorrence of it ? of his justice, which cannot but visit it with righteous indignation ? and of his truth, which cannot but execute every threatening which he has denounced against it ? As to any mere notions which men may entertain in theory, I speak not of them; it is of practical knowledge that I speak : and I need only appeal to the lives of all around us, to prove that, so far from having any just knowledge of God, " there is not in the whole world an unconverted man, that understandeth, so as duly and habitually to seek after himV On the contrary the conduct of all clearly shews, that " God is not in all their thoughts ." And what know we of Christ and of the incomprehensible extent of his love ? Or what of his Holy Spirit, and all his enlightening, sanctifying, and consoling ope rations ? What know we of the evil and bitterness of sin ? or of the beauty and blessedness of true holiness ? The testimony which our Lord himself has borne of us is undeniably true, that, however we may fancy ourselves "rich, and increased in goods, and in need of nothing, we are wretched, and miserable, even poor, and blind, and naked d ." We are guilty also, to an extent which no words b Rom. iii. 11. Ps. liii. 2, 3. Ps. x. 4. d Rev. iii. 1". c 2 20 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 30. [1932. can adequately describe. As to gross sins, I make no mention of them. Our whole life has been one continued scene of rebellion against God. Nor have we ceased to " trample under foot the blood of Christ, by which we have been redeemed ; or to do despite to the Spirit of God 6 / who has striven with us, warning us against the evils which we have been habituated to commit, and stimulating us to those duties, which we have neglected to perform. Truly, on the most superficial view of our state we must be convinced, that " every mouth must be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God f ." How polluted we are, in every member of our bodies and in every faculty of our souls, God alone knoweth or can conceive. Darkness is not more opposed to light, or Belial to Christ, than w r e, every one of us, are to the holy will of God, whether as proclaimed in his law, or as exhibited in his Gospel. How blind we are in our understanding, how perverse in our will, how sensual in our affections, who shall be able to declare ? Even " the Apostles themselves once had their conversation in the lusts of their flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others 5 :" And such have ice been also. Our very " mind and conscience have been defiled," so that there is not one amongst us who must not join in that humiliating acknowledgment, that " there is no health in us." In fact, we are altogether enslaved, or, as the Scrip ture expresses it, " taken in the snare of the devil, and led captive by him at his willV Nor is this true merely in relation to more flagrant transgressors only; " for the prince of the power of the air worketh in all the children of disobedience 1 ;" and, however in sensible we may be of his motions, does really instigate us to every evil we commit. But I observed that there is yet further implied in my text, not only that we are destitute of all good in ourselves, but that rce are incapable of acquiring it c Ileb. x. 29. f Rom. iii. 19. e Eph. ii. 3. h -2 Tim. ii. 20. > Kph. ii. 2. 1932.J CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL. ^1 by anij power of our own. Were not this true, there would, as I have before observed, have been no need that all good should be treasured up in another for us. Now no one of these fore-mentioned evils can we remove. Not our ignorance; for we are told that " God alone giveth wisdom k ." The Spirit of God must " open the eyes of our understanding 1 : nor can we without his gracious influence, " know the things which belong unto our peace." We must have " a spiritual discernment in order to discern the things of the Spirit" 1 ." St. Paul, notwithstanding he had made a greater proficiency in Jewish literature than most of his own age, yet could not comprehend the true import of the Mosaic writings, or see their accomplishment in Jesus Christ, till " the scales, by which his organs of vision had been obstructed, were made to fall from his eyes" :" nor could the imme diate disciples of our Lord, who had heard all his instructions both in public and private for the space of three years, see the law of Moses fulfilled in him. The end of his death as a sacrifice for sin, the ne cessity of his resurrection to carry on and perfect his work, and the spiritual nature of his kingdom, were still hidden from them, till " He opened their under standings to understand the Scriptures ." So must " the Holy Spirit be given unto us also, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God p ." Earthly knowledge we may acquire by the powers of intellect and by dint of application : but heavenly knowledge is the gift of God alone, who, whilst he " takes the wise in their own craftiness q ," will reveal to babes " what is hid from the wise and prudent 1 ." Nor can we by any means remove our guilt. Let us go and blot out of the book of God s remembrance all the sins we have ever committed. Vain attempt ! We cannot cancel so much as one sin ; nor would rivers of tears suffice to wash away the slightest stain * Prov. ii. 0. i Eph. i. 18. m i Cor. ii. 14. n Acts ix. 18. Luke xxiv. 45. P 1 Cor. ii. 12. <) 1 Cor. iii. 19. r Matt. xi. 2.7. VI 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 30. [1932. from our souls. Nor can we even abstain from con tracting fresh guilt : for there is imperfection in our best deeds : our very tears need to be washed, and our repentances to be repented of. Even St. Paul himself, eminent as he was, could do nothing on which he could rely for his justification before God ; and therefore " he desired to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but the righteousness which was of God by faith in Christ 8 ." A justifying righteousness must be perfect : but we can do nothing perfect : we need one to " bear the iniquity even of our holiest actions 1 :" and therefore we must for ever despair of establishing a righteousness of our own, and must submit simply and entirely to the righteous ness provided for us in the Gospel". Nor can we cleanse ourselves from our pollution. " As well might an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots, as we restore ourselves to the image of God in which we were at first created 3 "." The renovation of the heart is on this very account called a new birth and a new creation y ; and it can be effected by none but God himself. Let any man put this matter to a trial : let him see whether he can mortify all the desires of the flesh, and efface from his mind the love of this world, and transform himself into the Divine image in righteousness and true holi ness : he may as well attempt to create a world. As for deliverance from all spiritual bondage, that also is utterly unattainable by human efforts. St. Paul even to his dying hour was constrained to cry, " O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me z ?" Hence in the truly scriptural Liturgy of our Church we are taught to acknowledge ; that " we are tied and bound with the chain of our sins," and to cry, " But do thou, O God, of the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us." Now all this is clearly implied in the words of our J>1 il- i i- ^- Exod. xxviii. 38. K m - x - 3. x Jer. xiii. 23. > Jclin iii. ;j. -2 Cor. v. 17. < Rom. vii. 24. 1932. J CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL. 23 text : and by a just view of this we are prepared to consider, secondly, what is expressed. In perfect correspondence with the foregoing truths, we find in our text two things expressed, viz. that God has treasured up for us in Christ all the good that we stand in need of: and that He will freely bestow it on every believing soul. Observe here how God has treasured up for us in Christ all the good that we stand in need of. God " has laid help for us on One that is mighty 3 ," even on his own dear and only-begotten Son. He has treasured up for us in Christ a fulness suited to the necessities of fallen man b , and has constituted him " Head over all things to the Church ," that " out of his fulness every member of his mystical body may receive d " such a measure of grace as his peculiar necessities require. This is shadowed forth under the image of a vine, which supplies every one of its branches with the sap and nutriment which alone can enable it to bring forth fruit 6 . " Separate from him," every one of us would become dry and fit only for fuel. The Apostle Paul knew no other source of life and strength ; and therefore he said, " The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God, who has loved me and given himself for me f ." So in like manner must every soul of man come to Christ for grace to help him in the time of need. "Our fresh springs must be altogether in him g ." " Our life is hid with Christ in God : yea, Christ is our very life :" and it is from that circumstance alone that we are warranted to hope, that " when he shall appear we also shall appear with him in glory 11 ." "He is ascended up on high on purpose that he may fill all things 1 :" and he does " fill all in allV The very light which is reflected by the whole planetary system of moon and stars, proceeds from the sun ; and the life of all the vegetable creation is sustained by its reviving a Ps. Ixxxix. 19. b Col. i. 19. c Eph. i. 2:1. (1 John i. 16. e John xv. 5. f Gal. i . 20. s Ps. Ixxxvii. 7. h Col. iii. 3, <\. Eph. iv. 10. k Eph. i. 23. :n 1 CORINTHIANS, 1. -SO. rays. And so is " Christ the light and life of the whole world ;" as it is written, " With thee is the fountain of life ; and in thy light shall we see light 1 ." This is yet more fully expressed in our text, which declares, that Christ shall be made all unto us, even wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and re demption, to every soul that believes in him. Do we need wisdom ? He shall be made wisdom to us. Wonderful shall be the views which he will impart to the believing soul : yes, the believer shall have, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, " the very mind that was in Christ himself," and be made to view every thing as God himself views it m . What humiliating views will he have of himself as a guilty, corrupt creature, deserving of God s wrath and indignation ! What exalted views will he have of all the Divine perfections, and particularly of them as united and harmonizing in the person and work of Christ ! How will he be enabled to " comprehend the height and depth and length and breadth of Christ s unsearchable love, so as even to be filled by it with all the fulness of God n !" What a perception will he have of " the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost ," and of all his gracious influences, as " a spirit of adoption testifying to his soul, that God is his Father, and that he is God s beloved child 1 !" In what hateful colours will he now behold the sins which he once loved ; and how lovely in his estimation will be the paths of righteousness and true holiness ! When once " God, who com manded light to shine out of darkness in the mate rial world shall shine into his heart to give him this knowledge, he will behold all the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 1 ." Do we need righteousness ? Christ shall be made righteousness to the believing soul. The very name by which we are privileged to call our blessed Lord, is, "Jehovah our righteousness ." In Christ we shall 1 Ps. xxxvi. 9. " Phil. ii. f>. 1 John ii. 20. " Eph. iii. 18, ID. > Rom. v. 5. i> Rom. viii. !.">, KJ. <\ _> Cor. iv. 0. r J er . xxiii. 6. 1932. J CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL. 25 have a righteousness fully answering all the require ments of God s holy law, and satisfying the demands of his inflexible justice. Clothed in the robe of Christ s perfect righteousness, we shall be so pure that God will not behold in us a spot or blemish 8 . Not the angels before the throne of God shall shine more bright than we : indeed they have only the righteousness of a creature, whilst the believing soul is clad in the righteousness of the Creator himself. Nor let any one imagine that this is the privilege of the Apostles only : no : the righteousness of Christ is "given unto" every believing soul, and "put upon" him as a garment, in which he shall stand accepted of God to all eternity*. Do we need sanctlfication ? This also shall Christ be made unto us. Yes, he will make us new crea tures. He will enable us to " put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and to put on the new man, whereby we shall be assimi lated to the Divine image u ." He has promised his Holy Spirit for this end, even to " sanctify us wholly x ." By applying to our souls his promises, he will enable us to " cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God y ." Yea, by enabling us to " behold his glory, he will change us into his own image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 ." Finally, do we need redemption ? He will be re demption to us, " delivering us from all the bondage of corruption, and bringing us into the glorious liberty of the sons of God." " When once the Son thus makes us free, we become free indeed 3 ." With what delight do we then walk in the ways of God, and with what enlargement of heart do we run in the paths of his commandments ! Truly under the in fluence of his grace we enjoy almost a heaven upon earth. The exercises of prayer and praise are far different from what they were wont to be in our s Eph. v. 26, 27. l Rom. iii. 22. Eph. i. (>. u Eph. iv. 2224. x 1 Thess. v. 23. y 2 Cor. vii. 1. z 2 Cor. iii. 18. a John viii. 36. ar, 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 30. [1932. unregenerate state. Formerly we had no taste for them, no pleasure in them : now we are never so happy as when we get access to God in these duties : it is even " as marrow and fatness to our souls, when we can praise our God with joyful lipsV True, " the flesh will yet lust against the spirit, as well as the spirit against the flesh :" but " sin shall no more have dominion over us c ;" we shall, in desire at least, be "holy as God himself is holy, and perfect as our Father which is in heaven is perfect d ." Before I come to my concluding remarks on this subject, I beg you to inquire with yourselves, whether you have ever had a practical experience of these things in your own souls ? It is said in my text, " Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Now is this true of you ? Have you, (I speak to every individual,) Have you ever been brought to such a sense of your own destitution of all good, and of your utter incapacity to supply, by any efforts of your own, your manifold necessities ? Have you also been led to see what a fulness there is in Christ, exactly suited to your necessities ? and have you actually received out of his fulness a supply of all that you stand in need of, so that Christ is daily regarded by you as your entire Saviour, your all in all ? I pray you, let not this matter be thought of small import ; No indeed. These things are not to be viewed as a mere theory, but as practical truths, upon the experience of which your everlasting salva tion depends : and, if you die before they are realized by you in your daily experience, it will be better for you that you had never been born. Here I might well close my subject. But, having taken hitherto only the more obvious and superficial view of it, I would, if it detain you not too long, briefly entreat your attention to some points which are more deep and recondite, and which, I hope, will repay the trespass which I thus reluctantly make upon your time. 11 Ps. Ixiii. 5. c Rom. vi. 14. (1 1 Pet. i. 1">, 16. 1932.] CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL. 27 Mark then, I pray you, how entirely salvation is of grace from first to last. You have seen what provision God has made for us in our low estate. You have seen what he has laid up for us in Christ, and what Christ is made unto us, even all that we stand in need of. But you have not seen how it is that Christ is made all this to the believing soul. It is by our being " in Christ Jesus :" " Of him are ye in Christ Jesus" Now we must be engrafted into Christ as scions, before we can partake of any of these things : we must be cut off from the old stock whereon we grew in our natural state, and be made living branches of Him the living Vine. And who, I beg leave to ask, can do this for us ? It can be done by none but God, the great husbandman, who has himself ordained this as the only way of saving our ruined race. And this is twice marked in my text with very peculiar force and emphasis : " OF HIM are ye in Christ Jesus, who OF GOD is made unto us wisdom, and righteous ness, and sanctification, and redemption." Now I ask, who was it that gave the Saviour to us, or us to him? Who was it that accepted him in our behalf? Who was it that, after accepting his sacrifice in our behalf, constituted him our living Head, and trea sured up in him such a fulness of all that we stood in need of? And who was it that cut us off from our old stock and grafted us into him ? And who was it that by this mysterious process actually made us partakers of all these benefits ? Hear it, and forget it not : " It is of God that ye are in Christ Jesus : and of God that Christ is made unto you all that you stand in need of." Let God then have all the glory. This was the very end for which he did all this, as he tells us both in the words that precede my text, and in the words that follow it : " God, says the Apostle, has chosen things which are not, to bring to nought things which are, that no Jlesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that, according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" 28 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 30. [1932. Now I entreat your attention to this. Do not rob God of his glory. Do not ascribe any thing to your selves, but give him the glory of your salvation from first to last. If you could go up to heaven, you would not find one soul there that arrogates any thing to himself. All with one heart and one voice are singing, " Salvation to God and to the Lamb ;" to God, as the alone Author of salvation, and to the Lamb, as the only means : and I call on every one of you to begin this song on earth, giving all praise to God the Father as the source and fountain of your happiness, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, who has both purchased it for you by his blood, and imparted it to you by his Spirit. God is a jealous God, and will not give his glory to another : and if you rob him of his glory here, you shall not be partakers of it in the world to come. Having called your attention to this, I next say, seek this salvation in the precise way that God has appointed. Seek it in its full extent seek it in its proper order seek it for its only just and legitimate end seek it with a confidence that you shall not seek in vain. Seek it in its full extent. Look to Christ for every thing without exception. Look to him for wisdom. Even though you be the most learned man on earth in respect of human sciences,, you must look to him alone to instruct you in that which is divine. You must come to him even as a little child, to be taught of him ; you must in your own apprehension " be a fool, if you would be truly wise 6 ." If you " lean to your own understanding," instead of relying upon the teaching of his Spirit, you will never attain true saving knowledge. If you would be made wise unto salvation, " your eyes must be anointed with the eye-salve which he alone can bestow f ." Look to him also for righteousness. There must be no de pendence whatever on any thing of your own. There must be no attempt to blend your own right eousness with his. You must not even look to any 1 1 Cor. iii. IS. r Rev. iii. 18. 1932.] CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL. 23 attainments of your own, as your warrant to go to him, or to hope in him : your hope must be founded wholly on the sufficiency of his atonement, and the perfection of the righteousness which he wrought out for you. I do not mean that you are to be remiss in your obedience ; but you are not to rely upon it. In point of dependence, your best deeds must be dis claimed as much as your worst. The fixed and habi tual sentiment of your heart must be, " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ g ." For sanctification also must you look to him, and that with as much earnestness, as if you were to be saved by your own works. Whilst I warn you that your own good works must be renounced in point of dependence, I would not have you imagine that you can ever be saved without them : No : I declare to every living man, that antinomianism is a horrible delusion, and a damning sin. God has plainly warned us, that " without holiness no man shall see the Lord ;" and that " every man who has a scrip tural hope in Christ, must purify himself even as he is pure h ." Your complete redemption also must be received from Christ alone. You must " be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus 1 ." It is in his strength alone that you are to maintain your contest with your great adversary, for it is he alone that can " bruise Satan under your feetV And bear in mind, that no one of these things is to be separated from another. There must be no harbouring of philo sophic pride, or of pharisaic self-righteousness, or of antinomian licentiousness : but the whole of Christ s benefits must be sought by you, without partiality and without hypocrisy 1 ." Next, I would observe, these things must be sought in their proper order, that is, in the very order in which they are here proposed. Divine teaching must be sought in the first instance ; for without that, you can know nothing either of your own need of Christ, * Heb. xii. 14. h 1 John iii. 3. ! 2 Tim. ii. 1. k Rom. xvi. 20. Jam. iii. 17- 30 1 CORINTHIANS, I. 30. [1932. or of his sufficiency. Then you must, as a poor perishing sinner, look to Christ, to wash you in his blood, and to clothe you in the unspotted robe of his righteousness. Then, having obtained a hope of acceptance through him, you must seek to be " sanc tified throughout, in body, soul, and spirit." And further, having obtained a measure of holiness, you must not be self-confident, but, like the Apostle Paul, must " keep your body under, and bring it into subjection, lest after all your high professions, you prove a cast-away at last m ." To the latest hour of your life, you must retain the frame recommended by the Apostle, " Be not high-minded, but fear." " Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall"." And, whilst you acknowledge Christ as " the author of your faith," you must look to him, and to him alone, as "the finisher of it ." Further, seek all these blessings for the only just and legitimate end, the glory of God. The mind of all the glorified saints must be your mind. They all " prostrate themselves before the throne of God, and cast their crowns at the Saviour s feet p ." They are nothing ; and He is all. This is the true end of all religion, " that God in all things may be glorified through Christ Jesus q ." An adoring frame of mind is that which you should cultivate to your dying hour. Whilst you are in that frame, God, if I may so speak, is in his place, and you in yours. Even the angels that never sinned, are all upon their faces before God r . Much more should you, who have never done any thing but sin, and yet have been redeemed from condemnation by the blood of your incarnate God. The higher you are exalted by God, the lower you must lie before him : and the deeper your sense of your own unworthiness, the more devoutly will you join in the song of the redeemed, " To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests m 1 Cor. ix. 27. " Rom. xi. 20. 1 Cor. x. 12. Heb. xii. "2. i> Rev. iv. 10. 1 1 Pet. iv. 11. r Rev. vii. 11. 1932.] CHRIST IS ALL IN ALL. 31 unto God and the Father, to him be glory and domi nion for ever and ever. Amen 8 ." Lastly, seek these blessings with a due confidence that you shall not seek in vain. Recollect, who were the persons of whom these things were spoken ? They were sinners of no common stamp. Such were the enormities which many of them had committed, that they seemed to be almost beyond the reach of mercy: yet of them was it said, " But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God 1 ." Let none then entertain the doubt, Shall Christ be made all this to ME ? for he shall be so made to every believing soul ; nor shall the vilest sinner in the uni verse be suffered to seek God s face in vain u . Only let the pursuit of these things be your great object in life (for, what is there that can for a moment be put in competition with them ?) and there shall not be a soul amongst us, who shall not be able to say, I am the happy person in whom all this blessedness is realized ; Of God am I in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto ME wisdom, and righteousness, and sanc- tification, and redemption ; and in him do I glory, yea and will glory throughout all the ages of eternity. May this be the happy experience of us all, for Christ s sake ! Amen and Amen. 8 Rev. i. 5, 6. l 1 Cor. vi. 9 11. u Isai. xlv. 19. AN ANALYSIS OF THE FOREGOING DISCOURSE. We should consider in Sacred Scripture what is implied as well as what is expressed. So did Christ (Matt. xxii. 32,) and so will we. I. What is implied. 1. That we are destitute of all good in ourselves We are ignorant, guilty, polluted, and enslaved 2. That we are incapable of attaining it by any power of our own We cannot remove any one of these ; ignorance, guilt, pollution, or bondage. 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 2. [1933. What is expressed, 1. That God has treasured up for us in Christ all the good that we stand in need of He is the Vine and we the branches 2. That he will impart it to every soul that believes in him Do we need wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption ? He will make Christ all unto us. Inquire whether He is made all this to YOU. APPLICATION. 1 . See how entirely salvation is of grace from first to last. Who gave the Saviour to us ? God alone. Who gave us to him ? God alone. Both these things are marked in the text, and must be marked by us. 2. Seek it altogether in God s appointed way In its full extent omitting none, preferring none In its proper order the precise order stated in the text for its only just and legitimate end God s glory twice mentioned. With full confidence that you shall not seek it in vain None can be more unworthy of it than the persons addressed in the text, 1 Cor. vi. 9 11. MDCCCCXXXIII. CHRIST CRUCIFIED, OR EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 1 Cor. ii. 2. / determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. IN different ages of the world it has pleased God to reveal himself to men in different ways ; some times by visions, sometimes by voices, sometimes by suggestions of his Spirit to their minds : but since the completion of the sacred canon, he has prin cipally made use of his written word, explained and enforced by men, whom he has called and qualified to preach his Gospel ; and though he has not pre cluded himself from conveying again the knowledge of his will in any of the former ways, it is through the written word only that we are now authorized to expect his gracious instructions. This, whether read by ourselves or published by his servants, he applies 1933.] EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 33 to the heart, and makes effectual for the illumination and salvation of men. It must be confessed, however, that he chiefly uses the ministry of his servants, whom he has sent as ambassadors to a guilty world. It was thus that he conveyed the knowledge of salvation to the Ethiopian Eunuch, who was reading an interest ing portion of Isaiah s prophecies. He might have opened the understanding of this man at once by the agency of his Spirit ; but he chose rather to send his servant Philip, to join the chariot, and to explain the Scripture to him. When the Centurion also had sought with much diligence and prayer to know the way of salvation, God did not instruct him by his Word or Spirit, but informed him where to send for instruction ; and by a vision removed the scruples of Peter about going to him ; that so the established ministry might be honoured, and the Church might look to their authorized instructors, as the instru ments whom God would make use of for their edifica tion and salvation. Thus it is at this time : God is not confined to means ; but he condescends to employ the stated ministry of his word for the diffusion of Divine knowledge : " The priests lips keep know ledge ;" and by their diligent discharge of their ministry is knowledge transmitted and increased. But this circumstance, so favourable to all classes of the community, imposes on them a duty of the utmost importance. If there be a well from which we are to receive our daily supplies, it becomes us to ascertain that its waters are salubrious : and, in like manner, if we are to receive instruction from men, who are weak and fallible as ourselves, it becomes us to try their doctrines by the touchstone of the written word ; and to receive from them those sentiments only which agree with that unerring standard ; or, to use the words of an inspired Apostle, we must " prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." To preachers also there arises an awful responsi bility ; for, as the people are " to receive the word at their mouth," and their " word is to be a savour of life or of death to all that hear it," it concerns them VOL. XVI. D 34 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 2. [1933. to be well assured, that they set before their people " the sincere unadulterated milk of the word ;" that in no respect they " corrupt the word of God," or " handle it deceitfully ; but by manifestation of the truth commend themselves to every man s conscience in the sight of God a ." Hence it appears that we all are deeply interested in this one question, What is truth ? what is that truth, which ministers are bound to preach, and which their people should be anxious to hear ? There will however be no difficulty in answering this ques tion, if only we consult the passage before us ; wherein St. Paul explicitly declares what was the great scope of his ministry, and the one subject which he laboured to unfold. He regarded not the subtleties which had occupied the attention of philosophers ; nor did he affect that species of knowledge which was in high repute among men : on the contrary, he studiously avoided all that gratified the pride of human wisdom, and determined to adhere simply to one subject, the crucifixion of Christ for the sins of men: " I came not unto you," says he, " with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God : for I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified." To explain and vindicate this determination of the Apostle is our intention in this discourse. I. To explain it By preaching Christ crucified, we are not to under stand that he dwelt continually on the fact or history of the crucifixion ; for though he speaks of having " set forth Christ as it were crucified before the eyes" of the Galatians, and may therefore be supposed occasionally to have enlarged upon the sufferings of Christ as the means of exciting gratitude towards him in their hearts, yet we have no reason to think that he contented himself with exhibiting to their view a tragical scene, as though he hoped by that to a See 2 Cor. ii. 15 17. and iv. 2. 1933.] EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 35 convert their souls : it was the doctrine of the cru cifixion that he insisted on ; and he opened it to them in all its bearings and connexions. This he calls " the preaching of the cross:" and it consisted of such a representation of " Christ crucified, as was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolish ness ; but to the true believer, the power of God and the wisdom of GodV There were two particular views in which he invariably spoke of the death of Christ ; namely, as the ground of our hopes, and as the motive to our obedience. In the former of these views, the Apostle not only asserts, that the death of Christ was the appointed means of effecting our reconciliation with God, but that it was the only means by which our reconci liation could be effected. He represents all, both Jews and Gentiles, as under sin, and in a state of guilt and condemnation : he states, that, inasmuch as we are all condemned by the law, we can never be justified by the law, but are shut up unto that way of justification which God has provided for us in the Gospel . He asserts, that " God hath set forth his Son to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness in the remis sion of sins, that he may be just, and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus d ." He requires all, Jews as well as Gentiles, to believe in Jesus, in order to the obtaining of justification by faith in him 6 : and so jealous is he of every thing that may interfere with this doctrine, or be supposed to serve as a joint ground of our acceptance with God, that he repre sents the smallest measure of affiance in any thing- else as actually making void the faith of Christ, and rendering his death of no avail f . Nay, more, if he himself, or even an angel from heaven, should ever be found to propose any other ground of hope to sinful man, he denounces a curse against him ; and, lest his denunciation should be overlooked, he repeats b 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. c Gal. iii. 22, 23. ri Rom. iii. 25, 26. e Gal. ii. 1. ), Hi. f Gal. v. 2 \. ,30 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 2. [1933. it with augmented energy ; " As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed g ." To the death of Christ he ascribes every blessing we possess. We are " reconciled to God by the blood of his cross ;" we are " brought nigh to him," " have boldness and access with confidence" even to his throne ; we " are cleansed by it from all sin ;" yea, " by his one offering of himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." But there is one passage in particular wherein a multitude of spiritual blessings are comprised, and all are referred to him as the true source from whom they flow. The pas sage we speak of, is in the first chapter to the Ephe- sians, where, within the space of eleven verses, the same truth is repeated at least eight or nine times. In order to enter fully into the force of that passage, we may conceive of St. Paul as maintaining the truth in opposition to all its most determined adver saries, and as labouring to the uttermost to exalt Christ in the eyes of those who trusted in him : we may conceive of him, I say, as contending thus: " Have we been chosen before the foundation of the world ? it is in Christ. Have we been predestinated unto the adoption of children ? it is in and by Him. Are we accepted? it is in the Beloved. Have w 7 e re demption, even the forgiveness of sins ? it is in Him, through his blood. Are all, both in heaven and earth, gathered together under one Head ? it is in Christ, eveSi in Him. Have we obtained an inheritance? it is in Him. Are we sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise ? it is in Him. Are we blessed with all spiritual blessings ? it is in Christ Jesus. When the Apostle has laboured thus to impress our minds with the idea that our whole salvation is in, and by, the Lord Jesus Christ, is it not surprising that any one should be ignorant of it ? Yet we apprehend that many persons, who have even studied the Holy Scriptures, and read over this passage a multitude of times, have yet never * C.al. i. 8, 9. 1933.] EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 37 seen the force of it, or been led by it to just views of Christ as the Fountain " in whom all fulness dwells," and " from whose fulness we must all receive, even grace for grace." But we have observed, that there is another view in which the Apostle speaks of the death of Christ, namely, as a motive to our obedience. Strongly as he enforced the necessity of relying on Christ, and founding our hopes of salvation solely on his obedi ence unto death, he was no less earnest in promoting the interests of holiness. Whilst he represented the believers as "dead to the law" and "without law," he still insisted that they were " under the law to Christ," and as much bound to obey every tittle of it as ever h : and he enforced obedience to it, in all its branches, and to the utmost possible extent. More over, when the doctrines which he had inculcated were in danger of being abused to licentious pur poses, he expressed his utter abhorrence of such a procedure 1 ; and declared, that " the grace of God, which brought salvation, taught them, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, they should live right eously, soberly, and godly in this present world k ." A life of holy obedience is represented by him as the great object which Christ aimed to produce in all his people : indeed the very name, Jesus, proclaimed, that the object of his coming was " To save his people from their sins." The same was the scope and end of his death, even to " redeem them from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works." His resurrection and ascen sion to heaven had also the same end in view ; for " therefore he both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and living." Impressed with a sense of these things himself, St. Paul laboured more abundantly than any of the Apostles in his holy vocation : he proceeded with a zeal which nothing could quench, and an ardour h 1 Cor. ix. 21. Gal. ii. 19. Rom. vi. 1, 15. k Tit. ii. 11. 12. 38 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 2. [1933. which nothing could damp : privations, labours, im prisonments, deaths, were of no account in his eyes ; " none of these things moved him, neither counted he his life dear unto him, so that he might but finish his course with joy, and fulfil the ministry that was committed to him." But what was the principle by which he was actuated ? He himself tells us, that he was impelled by a sense of obligation to Christ, for all that He had done and suffered for him : " the love of Christ constraineth us," says he ; " because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead ; and that He died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again 1 ." This is that principle which he desired to be universally embraced, and endeavoured to impress on the minds of all : " We beseech you, brethren," says he, " by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" 1 ." What mercies he refers to, we are at no loss to determine ; they are the great mercies vouchsafed to us in the work of redemption : for so he says in another place ; " Ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are his n ." Now this is the subject which the Apostle compre hends under the term " Christ crucified :" it consists of two parts ; first, of affiance in Christ for salvation, and, next, of obedience to the law for his sake : had either part of it been taken alone, his views had been imperfect, and his ministry without success. Had he neglected to set forth Christ as the only Saviour of the world, he would have betrayed his trust, and led his hearers to build their hopes on a foundation of sand. On the other hand, if he had neglected to inculcate holiness, and to set forth redeeming love as the great incentive to obedience, he would have been justly chargeable with that which has been often falsely imputed to him, an antinomian spirit ; and 1 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. m Rom. xii. 1. "1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. 1933.1 EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 39 his doctrines would have merited the odium which has most unjustly been cast upon them. But on neither side did he err : he forgot neither the foundation nor the superstructure : he distinguished properly be tween them, and kept each in its place : and hence with great propriety adopted the determination in our text. Having explained his determination, we shall now proceed, II. To vindicate it It was not from an enthusiastic fondness for one particular point, but from the fullest conviction of his mind, that the Apostle adopted this resolution : and so the word in the original imports ; " I determined, as the result of my deliberate judgment, to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him cruci fied : I have made it, and will ever make it, my theme, my boast, and my song." The reasons why he insisted on this subject so exclusively, and with such delight, shall now be stated : he did so, 1. Because it contained all that he was commissioned to declare. " It pleased God to reveal his Son in the Apostle, that he might preach HIM among the heathen :" and accordingly St. Paul tells us, that " this grace was given to him to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ." This, I say, was his office ; and this too is the ministry of reconciliation which is committed to ministers in every age; " to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them ." To the Apostles, indeed, the commission was to " go forth into all the world, and to preach the Gospel to every creature ;" whereas to us is assigned, as it were, a more limited sphere : but the subject of our ministry is the same with theirs : we have the same dispensation committed unto us ; and " woe will be unto us, if we preach not the Gospel." But, as though men needed not to be evangelized " 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. 10 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 2. [1933. now, the term evangelical is used as a term of re proach. We mean not to justify any persons what soever in using unnecessary terms of distinction, more especially if it be with a view to depreciate others, and to aggrandize themselves : but still the distinctions which are made in Scripture must be made by us ; else for what end has God himself made them ? Now it cannot be denied, that the Apostle characterizes the great subject of his ministry as the Gospel ; nor can it be denied that he com plains of some teachers in the Galatian Church as introducing another Gospel, which was not the true Gospel, but a perversion of it p . Here then he lays down the distinction between doctrines which are truly evangelical, and others which have no just title to that name. Of course, wherever the same differ ence exists between the doctrines maintained, the same terms must be proper to distinguish them ; and a just view of those distinctions is necessary, in order to our being guarded against error, and established in the truth. But we beg to be clearly understood in reference to this matter. It is not our design to enter into any dispute about the use of a term, or to vindicate any particular party ; but merely to state, with all the clearness we can, a subject, about which every one ought to have the most accurate and precise ideas. We have seen what was the great subject of the Apostle s preaching, and which he emphatically and exclusively called the Gospel: and if only we attend to what he has spoken in the text, we shall see what really constitutes evangelical preaching. The subject of it must be " Christ crucified ;" that is, Christ must be set forth as the only foundation of a sinner s hope : and holiness in all its branches must be enforced ; but a sense of Christ s love in dying for us must be inculcated, as the main-spring and motive of all our obedience. The manner of setting forth this doctrine must also accord with that of the Apostle in the text: P Gal. i. 6, 7. 1933.] EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 41 the importance of the doctrine must be so felt, as to make us determine never to know any thing else, either for the salvation of our own souls, or for the subject of our public ministrations. Viewing its transcendent excellency, we must rejoice and glory in it ourselves, and shew forth its fruits in a life of entire devotedness to God : we must call upon our hearers also to rejoice and glory in it, and to display its sanctifying effects in the whole of their life and conversation. Thus to preach, and thus to live, would characterize a person, and his ministry, as evangelical, in the eyes of the Apostle : whereas in difference to this doctrine, or a corruption of it, either by a self-righteous or antinomian mixture, would render both the person and his ministry obnoxious to his censure, according to the degree in which such indifference, or such a mixture, prevailed. We do not mean to say, that there are not different degrees of clearness in the views and ministry of different persons, or that none are accepted of God, or useful in the Church, unless they come up to such a precise standard ; nor do we confine the term evangelical to those who lean to this or that particular system, as some are apt to imagine : but this we say, that, in proportion as any persons, in their spirit and in their preaching, accord with the example in the text, they are properly denominated evangelical; and that, in proportion as they recede from this pattern, their claim to this title is dubious or void. Now when we ask, What is there in this whicli every minister ought not to preach, and every Chris tian to feel ? Is there any thing in this enthusiastic ? any thing sectarian ? any thing uncharitable ? any thing worthy of reproach ? Is the Apostle s example in the text so absurd, as to make an imitation of him blame-worthy, and a conformity to him contemptible? Or, if a scoffing and ungodly world will make the glorying in the cross of Christ a subject of reproach, ought any who are reproached by them to abandon t he Gospel for fear of being called evangelical ? Ought they not rather, like the Apostles, " to rejoice that 42 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 2. [1933. they are counted worthy to suffer shame, if shame it be, for Christ s sake ?" The fact is indisputable, that the Apostle s commission was to preach Christ cruci fied ; to preach, I say, that chiefly, that constantly, that exclusively: and therefore he was justified in his determination to " know nothing else :" consequently, to adopt that same resolution is our wisdom also, whether it be in reference to our own salvation, or to the subject of our ministrations in the Church of God. We now proceed to a second reason for the Apostle s determination. He determined to know nothing but Christ and him crucified, because it contained all that, could conduce to the happiness of man. There are other things which may amuse ; but there is nothing else that can contribute to man s real happiness. Place him in a situation of great distress ; let him be bowed down under a sense of sin ; let him be oppressed with any great calamity ; or let him be brought by sick ness to the borders of the grave ; there is nothing that will satisfy his mind, but a view of this glorious subject. Tell him of his good works ; and he feels a doubt, (a doubt which no human being can resolve,) what is that precise measure of good works which will ensure eternal happiness : tell him of repentance, and of Christ supplying his deficiencies ; and he will still be at a loss to ascertain whether he has attained that measure of penitence or of goodness, which is necessary to answer the demands of God. But speak to him of Christ as dying for the sins of men, as " casting out none that come unto him," as " purging us by his blood from all sin," and as clothing us with his own unspotted righteousness ; yea, as making his own grace to abound, not only where sin has abounded, but infinitely beyond our most abounding iniquities 1 ; set forth to him thus the freeness and sufficiency of the Gospel salvation, and he wants nothing else : he feels that Christ is " a Rock, a sure Foundation;" and on that he builds without fear, assured that " whoso ever believeth in Christ shall not be confounded." 9 Rom. v. 20, 21. 1933. J EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 43 He hears the Saviour saying, " This is life eternal, to know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent ;" and having attained that knowledge, he trusts that the word of Christ shall be fulfilled to him : he already exults in the language of the Apostle, " Who is he that condemneth ? it is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us r ." But if a sense of guilt afflict some, a want of victory over their in-dwelling corruptions distresses others : and to them also the doctrine of Christ crucified administers the only effectual relief. The conside ration of eternal rewards and punishments affords indeed a powerful incentive to exertion ; but efforts springing from those motives only, will always savour of constraint ; they will never be ingenuous, hearty, affectionate, unreserved. But let a sense of redeeming love occupy the soul, and the heart becomes en larged, and " the feet are set at liberty to run the way of God s commandments " We say not that every person who professes to have experienced the love of Christ, will always walk consistently with that profession ; for there were falls and offences not only in the apostolic age, but even among the Apostles themselves : but this we say, that there is no other principle in the universe so powerful as the love of Christ ; that whilst that principle is in action, no commandment will ever be considered as grievous ; the yoke of Christ in every thing will be easy, and his burden light ; yea, the service of God will be perfect freedom ; and the labour of our souls will be to " stand perfect and complete in all the will of God." This the Apostle found in his own experience ; and this he found to be the effect of his ministry on the hearts of thousands. What then could he wish for in addition to this ? Where this principle was in efficacious, nothing was effectual ; and where this was effectual, nothing else was wanted : no wonder r Rom. viii. 34. 44 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 2. [1933. then that he determined to insist on this subject, and nothing else ; since, whether in the removing of guilt from the conscience, or of corruption from the soul, nothing could bear any comparison with this. Further, He determined to know nothing but this subject, because nothing could be added to it without weakening or destroying its efficacy. The subject of Christ crucified may, as we have before observed, be considered as consisting of two parts, a foundation, and a superstructure. Now St. Paul declares, that if any thing whatever be added to that foundation, it will make void the whole Gospel. If any thing could have been found which might safely have been added to it, we might suppose that the rite of circumcision might have claimed that honour, because it was of God s special appointment, and had had so great a stress laid upon it by God himself: but St. Paul says in reference to that rite, that if any person should submit to it with a view to confirm his interest in the Gospel, " Christ should profit him nothing :" such a person would have " fallen from grace," as much as if he had renounced the Gospel altogether. Again, if any person, who had the foundation rightly laid within him, should build upon it any thing but the pure, the simple, the essential duties of religion, " his work should be burnt up as wood or stubble ;" and though he should not entirely lose heaven, he should lose much of his happiness there, and be saved only like one snatched out of the devouring flames. With such a view of the subject, what inducement could the Apostle have to add any thing to it ? But the Apostle speaks yet more strongly respect ing this. He tells us, not only that the adulterating of the subject by any base mixture will destroy its efficacy, but that even an artificial statement of the truth will make it of none effect. God is exceedingly jealous of the honour of his Gospel : if it be plainly and simply stated he will work by it, and make it effectual to the salvation of men ; but if it be set forth with all the ornaments of human eloquence, and stated in " the words which man s wisdom teachcth/ 1933.] EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 45 he will not work by it ; because he would have " our faith to stand, not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Hence St. Paul, though eminently qualified to set it forth with all the charms of oratory, purposely laid aside " all excellency of speech or of wisdom in declaring the testimony of God," and " used all plainness of speech," lest by dressing up the truth " in the enticing words of man s wisdom, he should make the cross of Christ of none effect 8 ." Further vindication than this is unnecessary : for, if this subject contained all that he was commissioned to declare ; if it contained all that could conduce to the happiness of man ; and if nothing could be added to it without weakening or destroying its efficacy ; he must have consented to defeat the ends of his ministry altogether, if he had not adopted and main tained the resolution in the text. If then these things be so, we may venture to found upon them the following ADVICE First, Let us take care that we know Christ cru cified Many, because they are born and educated in a Christian land, are ready to take for granted that they are instructed in this glorious subject : but there is almost as much ignorance of it prevailing amongst Christians as amongst the heathen themselves. The name of Christ indeed is known, and he is compli mented by us with the name of Saviour; but the nature of his office, the extent of his work, and the excellency of his salvation, are known to few. Let not this be considered as a rash assertion : for we will appeal to the consciences of all ; Do we find that the Apostle s views of Christ are common ? Do we find many so filled with admiring and adoring thoughts of this mystery, as to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of it ; and to say, like him, " God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ ?" On the contrary, s 1 Cor. i. 17. and ii. 1,4, 5. 40 1 CORINTHIANS, II. & [1933. do we not find that there is an almost universal jea lousy on the subject of the Gospel, that those who most labour to tread in the Apostle s steps, are often most branded with opprobrious names ? Do we not find that his views of the Gospel are calumniated now, precisely as they were in the days of the Apostle himself? Verily, we should be glad to be found false witnesses in relation to these things ; and would most joyfully retract our assertions, if it could be shewn that they are not founded in truth. We do hope however that there is an increasing love to the Gospel pervading the whole land ; and I pray God it may prevail more and more, and be embraced by every one of us, not superficially, partially, theoretically, but clearly, fully, practically. Secondly, Let us adopt the Apostle s determination for ourselves Doubtless, as men and members of society, there are many other things which we are concerned to know. Whatever be our office in life, we ought to be well acquainted with it, in order that we may perform its duties to the advantage of ourselves and others ; and we would most particularly be understood to say, that the time that is destined for the acquisition of useful knowledge, ought to be diligently and con scientiously employed. But, as Christians, we have one object of pursuit, which deserves all our care and all our labour : yes, we may all with great propriety determine to know nothing but Christ and him cru cified. This is the subject which even " the angels in heaven are ever desiring to look into," and which we may investigate for our whole lives, and yet leave depths and heights unfathomed and unknown. St. Paul, after preaching Christ for twenty years, did not conceive himself yet awhile to have attained all that he might, and therefore still desired to know Christ more and more, " in the power of his resurrection, and in the fellowship of his sufferings." This there fore we may well desire, and count all things but loss in comparison of it. 1933.] EVANGELICAL RELIGION DESCRIBED. 47 Lastly, Let us make manifest the wisdom of our de termination by the holiness of our lives. The doctrine of Christ crucified ever did, and ever will appear " foolishness " in the eyes of ungodly men ; so that, if it be preached by an Apostle him self, he shall be accounted by them a babbler and deceiver. But there is one way of displaying its excellency open to us, a way in which we may effec tually " put to silence the ignorance of foolish men ;" namely, " by well-doing ;" that is, by shewing the sanctifying and transforming efficacy of this doctrine. St. Paul tells us, that " by the cross of Christ the world was crucified unto him, and he unto the world* :" and such is the effect that it should produce on us : we should shew that we are men of another world, and men too of " a more excellent spirit :" we should shew the fruits of our faith in every relation of life : and, in so doing, we may hope to " win by our good conversation" many, who would never have submitted to the preached word. But we must never forget where our strength is, or on whose aid we must entirely rely. The Prophet Isaiah reminds us of this ; " Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength :" and our Lord himself plainly tells us, that " without him we can do nothing." Since then " we have no suf ficiency in ourselves to help ourselves," and God has " laid help for us upon One that is mighty," let us " live by faith on the Son of God," " receiving daily out of his fulness that grace" that shall be " sufficient for us." Let us bear in mind, that this is a very principal part of the knowledge of Christ crucified : for, as " all our fresh springs are in Christ," so must we look continually to him for " the supplies of his Spirit," and " have him for our wisdom, our right eousness, our sanctification, and redemption." * Gal. vi. 14. 18 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 3. [1934. MDCCCCXXXIV. THE FEELINGS OF A FAITHFUL MINISTER. 1 Cor. ii. 3. I ivas with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. THERE was one subject on which St. Paul de lighted chiefly to expatiate, which was, " Christ crucified ;" a subject which to the Jews was a stum bling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness. The mode on which he insisted upon it, contributed to render it yet more distasteful to the philosophic reasoners of Greece and Rome : he laid aside all needless parade of wisdom, and all adventitious ornaments of rhetoric, and plainly declared the fact, that Christ was cru cified for the sins of men. This he did, not because he was not able to express himself agreeably to the taste of men of learning, but because he was anxious " that the faith" of all who received the Gospel " should stand, not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God," accompanying a simple statement of the truth. It is probable, too, that somewhat in his speech and external form contributed to render him base and contemptible in the eyes of many a . In addition to all this, the hostility of his enemies was most bitter, so that they sought by all possible means to destroy him. These diversified trials he sustained for the most part with great fortitude : but it seems that at Corinth his courage was in some degree shaken ; for our blessed Lord, in order to comfort and encourage him, appeared to him in a vision, and bade him not be afraid, for that he would suffer none in that place to hurt him b . To this state of mind he most probably alludes in the words before us, de claring, that, partly by his " fightings without and fears within," he had been " among them in weak ness, and fear, and much trembling." But we must not confine the words to this sense : there can be no doubt but that he had many other sources of inward a 2 Cor. x. 1, 10. Gal. iv. 13. >J Acts xviii. 9, 10. 1934.] FEELINGS OF A FAITHFUL MINISTER. 49 trial, such as are common to all who execute the minis terial office. What these are, and what corresponding feelings they call for amongst a believing people, it is our present intention to inquire. We will shew, I. The feelings experienced by a faithful minister- However light many think of the ministerial office, it is a situation of great difficulty, insomuch that there is not any truly faithful minister who does not find the expressions in our text exactly descriptive of his own feelings. To the frame of mind here spoken of, he will of necessity be led, 1. From a view of the vast importance of his work [A minister is an ambassador from the court of heaven, empowered to declare to men the terms on which a reconci liation may be effected between God and them, and on which they who are now objects of God s righteous indignation may become monuments of his love and favour. A man who has the fate of an empire depending on him, sustains an arduous office : but all the empires upon earth are not of equal value with one soul. What a weight then has he upon him, who undertakes to negociate a treaty between God and man, a treaty, on the acceptance or rejection of which the everlasting salvation of hundreds, and perhaps of thousands, depends ! Methinks this were an office for an angel, rather than a poor worm like ourselves : yet is it devolved on us : and every one who is able to estimate its importance, and desires to execute it with success, must needs execute it " in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling."] 2. From a sense of his own insufficiency to per form it- fin one who would perform this office aright, there ought to be a combination of all that is good and great. There need not indeed be the same kind of knowledge, or the same species of talent as would be necessary for a person entrusted with the political interests of men: but there should be a deep insight into the great mystery of redemption ; a comprehensive view of it, as founded in the necessities of our fallen nature, and adapted to all our wants. There should be an ability to bring forth out of the inexhaustible stores that are contained in the sacred volume, whatever is best fitted for the establishment VOL. XVI. E 5<) 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 3. [1934. of sound doctrine and the refutation of error, as also for the correction of every thing that is wrong in practice, and the promotion of universal righteousness : he should be " a scribe well instructed unto the kingdom of God," and able to meet every case with suitable instruction. He should also be endued with such grace, as to exemplify in his own spirit and conduct all that he teaches to others ; being " an example to believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" 1 ." But, as St. Paul himself says, " Who is sufficient for these things?" Who that has any consciousness of his own ignorance and sinfulness, does not tremble at the idea of his own utter inadequacy to the work assigned him ?] 3. From a consideration of his own awful respon sibility [We are constituted watchmen to the house of Israel; and are warned beforehand, that if any soul shall perish through our neglect, his " blood shall be required at our hand 6 :" and on this account we are told to " watch for souls, as those who must give account f ." But who can reflect on this, and not tremble ? It is an awful thought, that we must every one of us answer for ourselves: but how much more, that we must give an account of the hundreds and thousands that are com mitted to our charge ! Verily, if there were not a God of infinite mercy to pity our weakness and to pardon our defects, 1 know not who would dare to undertake the office. When ever we hear the bell announcing the death or funeral of one that was under our care, we are constrained to ask, What was the state of that soul ? Did I do all that I could for him whilst he was alive ? Can I say as before God, that " I am pure from his blood ? " Ah, brethren ! this is sometimes a heavy load upon the mind ; for, of all the people upon the face of the earth, the man \vho most stands in need of superabounding grace and mercy, is he who has the care of souls committed to him : and the minister that does not tremble at this thought, has, above all men in the world, the most need to tremble.] 4. From an apprehension lest his labour should after all be in vain [The labours of Jesus himself, and of all his Apostles, were, with respect to the great mass of their hearers, in vain : no wonder, therefore, that it is so with respect to us. And what a distressing thought is this, that we eventually increase the guilt and condemnation of vast multitudes, over whom we have wept, and for whose salvation we have laboured ! The c 2 Tim. iii. Hi. a 1 Tim. iv. 12. c K/rk. xxxiii. 6 8. f Heb. xiii. 17. 1934.] FEELINGS OF A FAITHFUL MINISTER. 51 word which we preach to them, if it be not " a savour of life unto life, becomes to them a savour of death unto death 6 ." If we had not laboured among them, " they would not, com paratively, have had sin : but now they have no cloak for their sin 1 :" the more they are, like Capernaum, exalted in their privileges, the more deeply will they be cast down into hell for their abuse of them 1 . Who that has a spark of compassion in his soul, can look around him on the multitudes who have hitherto withstood his efforts for their good, and not weep over them ? Who, when he reflects, that, with respect to many, his commission will prove only like that delegated to Isaiah, " Go, and make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed k ;" who, I say, can reflect on this, and not be "in weakness, and fear, and much trembling;" more especially when he considers how much the failure may have been owing to his own deficiencies ? Such then are, and ought to be, the feelings of all who have learned to estimate aright the difficulties and dangers of the ministerial office.] Corresponding with these are, II. The feelings called for in a believing people These, it is true, are not expressly mentioned in our text ; but they are so closely connected with the foregoing subject, that we must on no account omit to notice them. Two things are evidently CALLED FOR on the part of those who are blessed with such a minister : 1. A reciprocal concern for his welfare [Whilst he is thus " travailing, as it were, in birth with them," they should be deeply concerned for him, and study by all possible means to strengthen his hands and to comfort his heart. They should co-operate with him in every labour of love ; they should, as far as their influence extends, endea vour to confirm his word, and to advance his work. In their own families, especially, they should be labourers together with him. Above all, they should assist him daily with their prayers. How often does the Apostle say, "Brethren, pray for us 1 !" yea, with what extreme earnestness did he entreat this succour from the Church at Rome ; " 1 beseech you, brethren, for the R 2 Cor. ii. 10. h John xv. 22. j Matt. xi. 2224. k Isai. vi !). 10. 1 Thcss. v. 2f>. Hob. xiii. 18. 52 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 3. [1934. Lord Jesus Christ s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me!" To this he confidently looked, as to an infallible source of blessings to his own soul", and of success to his ministerial exertions ! This therefore is the duty of every one, in return for those efforts which his minister is using for his good. In tercession is an ordinance of God; and is replete with benefit invariably to those who use it, and most generally to those in whose behalf it is used. Docs your minister then stand in need of wisdom, of zeal, of patience, of love, of all manner of gracious communications? be instant in prayer for him, that he may receive from the fulness that is in Christ all seasonable and necessary supplies. Without such co-operation on your part he can scarcely hope to bear up under the pressure of the load that is laid upon him. He is ready at times to complain, as Moses did under the weight that had been laid upon him : " Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant ? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burthen of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people ? Have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me 1 ." Learn then, brethren, to sympathize with him ; and " labour fervently and without ceasing in prayer to God for him, that he may be enabled to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God q ."] 2. An anxious desire to answer the end of his exertions [Is a minister thus deeply exercised for his people s good, and should not they be anxious for their own ? Is he harassed with unremitting solicitude, and should they be sitting in a state of indifference? Know, brethren, that the very circum stance of God s having set apart an order of men to labour for your souls, is a very abundant proof that your souls are of an inestimable value, and that all the anxiety you can feel is less than they call lor at your hands. Do but consider, that every moment you are ripening either for heaven or for hell ; every action, every word, and every thought, is enhancing either your happiness or misery for ever. More particularly are you responsible for all the means of grace which you enjoy, and for all the efforts which are used for your salvation. Should not this thought fill you with fear and trembling, more especially Rom. xv. 30. " Phil i. 19. " 2 Cor. i. 11. Eph. vi. 18, 10. i> Numb. xi. 11, 12, 14. i Col. iv. 12. 1935.1 APOSTOLIC PREACHING. 53 when you look back upon the opportunities which you have neglected to improve ? Have you no reason to fear, lest he who seeks your eternal welfare, and longs above all things to have you as his "joy and crown of rejoicing in the last day," should, after all, be a swift witness against you to your ever lasting confusion? Begin then, if you have not yet begun, to cherish this salutary fear. Remember, what his object is ; and then inquire, whether that object have been attained in you. It is not to an approbation of his ministry, or to a mere profession of the truth, that he wishes to convert you, but to a cordial acceptance of the Gospel salvation, and an entire surrender of your souls to God. Less than this will not answer the ends of his ministry, or bring any substantial blessing on your own souls. I pray you, examine well how far this good work has been wrought within you ; and learn to " work out your salvation with fear and trembling." We do not mean that you should be kept in a state of slavish fear : for the very scope and intent of the Gospel is to " cast out all such fear as hath torment." It is & filial fear that we recommend to you; and it is a filial fear that we would cultivate ourselves : but the more that abounds in ministers and people, the more will the work of God flourish among them, and God himself be glorified in the midst of them.] MDCCCCXXXV. APOSTOLIC PREACHING. 1 Cor. ii. 4, 5. My speech and my preaching was not ivith en ticing words of mans wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power : that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. IN the education of persons for the ministry, it is justly thought that all possible attention should be paid to the attainment of whatever may render them eminent in their profession, and useful in the Church of God. Yet it may well be doubted whether a proper distinction be made between the acquisition of know ledge and the use of it. A man cannot acquire too much ; but he may use his knowledge unprofitably, and even injuriously, in the discharge of his holy calling. There is, in the truths which he has to deliver, a dignity, which would be obscured by the artificial ornaments of human oratory. Hence St. Paul, even when at Corinth, where human eloquence 51 1 CORINTHIANS, II. 1, 5. [1935. was in high request, forbore to comply with, the pre vailing taste, lest, by yielding to it, " he should make the cross of Christ of none effect a ." Nor did he apologize for this departure from their established usages : on the contrary, he vindicates it, and assigns what they could not but acknowledge to be an abun dantly sufficient reason for his conduct. That we may not lose the benefit of his example, I will enter more particularly into the consideration of it ; and shew, I. How St. Paul conducted himself in his pastoral office- It is evident that he here contrasts his own con duct with that of their most celebrated instructors, whom they were wont to admire. The philosophers, whom they had followed, were fond of displaying the profoundness of their own wisdom, and the extent of their own researches : and they were admired in pro portion as they were able to maintain their theories with logical subtlety and plausible argumentation. Their great orators, too, to whom they had been wont to listen with delight, had filled their discourses with all the flowers of rhetoric, that, by pleasing the imagination of their hearers, they might suspend the severer exercises of judgment, and persuade beyond the just impulse of deliberate conviction. But to none of these artifices would the Apostle condescend. He conducted his ministrations with the utmost simplicity [He was himself a man of great talent : having been edu cated under the most celebrated teacher, and made a pro ficiency in knowledge beyond most of his fellow-students ; so that, if he had judged it expedient, he could have moved with celebrity in tiie path which the most distinguished philoso phers had trod. But he disdained to seek his own glory in the discharge of his sacred office : he therefore would have nothing to do with " the enticing words of man s wisdom." He had received a message, which he was anxious to deliver; and, in delivering it, " lie used great plainness of speech." He 1935. J APOSTOLIC PREACHING. 55 looked not to the powers of language, to impress the minds of his hearers, but to the Spirit of the living God ; whose energy needed no artificial aid, and whose power was amply sufficient to carry conviction to the soul. He was taught to expect from God such attestations to his word. He was enabled, indeed, to confirm his word with signs and miracles : but it was to the mighty working of the Spirit of God upon the souls of men that he chiefly looked ; and, in dependence upon that, he laboured both in public and in private. " His speech," when conversing with individuals, and " his preaching" before assem bled thousands, were both of the same character. To make known the mystery of redemption through our incarnate God was the office committed to him : and he determined to exe cute it with all simplicity of mind ; " knowing nothing amongst his people but Jesus Christ, and him crucified."] In this he had respect to the best interests of mankind [The very aim of the principal philosophers was to esta blish dogmas of their own, which were to be received by their followers as characteristic of the sect to which they belonged. But St. Paul would not have the faith of his hearers to stand on the dictates of human wisdom. The word was God s : the power that alone could make it effectual was God s : nor could it be of any real service to the souls of men, any further than it was applied with power from on high. However the people might accede to it as a truth, that they were corrupt and help less creatures, they could not feel it aright, unless they were taught it by God himself. And, however they might be per suaded that Jesus Christ was the Saviour of the world, they could not believe in him to the salvation of their own souls, unless that faith should be wrought in them by the Holy Ghost. In like manner, every truth of Christianity must be experimentally received, and divinely communicated : and therefore the Apostle would not run the risk of having any of its efficacy imputed to his statements : he would have the faith of all its adherents to be purely and un