Yet some would persuade us of the sufficiency of human reason to discover the truths of religion, not only in defiance of all past history, but in contradiction to known fact. In no part of the world where revelation is unknown, is the true character of God, maintained. On this point, the refined and ingenious Chinese are equally ignorant with the degraded Hottentots. The wisdom of God is displayed in thus leaving men to their own investigations, to shew the insufficiency of reason to guide them to eternal happiness; to prove the depravity of human nature when left to itself, to manifest the necessity of a revelation from heaven, and to establish the divine origin of Christianity. Accordingly, that which all the boasted systems of philosophy could not effect, was accomplished by means of the foolishness of preaching, by an instrument apparently weak and inadequate; by a scheme which human reason never could have contrived or imagined, and which yet, now that it is revealed, approves itself to be divine; the redemption of the world by Christ Jesus-this alone proves effectual to save them that believe. By the simple preaching of plain unlettered men, thousands were rescued from ignorance and vice, and made wise, holy, and happy.

This naturally leads to the enquiry, what prevented the Gospel from being universally embraced? The carnal prejudices of the Jews, and the pride of the Gentiles: 22. "For the Jews demand (alove) a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom." It was natural for the Jews to require a miracle to prove the truth of Christianity. In this way the Mosaic economy had been established ;and was no evidence of this kind afforded them? Yes; our Saviour performed many illustrious miracles in their presence; his Apostles confirmed their testimony by the same evidence. The fact of our Lord's resurrection, and the supernatural gifts of the Spirit, ought to have satisfied their minds of the truth of Christianity; but their thoughts were so preoccupied with views of temporal grandeur; they had so thoroughly persuaded themselves that the Messiah would appear as an earthly conqueror, that they despised the benevolent and unostentatious miracles of Christ and his apostles, or ascribed them to the power of evil spirits— they demanded a sign from heaven, such a proof as was suited to their natural prejudices: they looked for a literal fulfilment of the prophecy of Daniel, (chap. vii. 13.) that the Messiah would appear in the clouds of heaven, and receive extensive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; in a word, they expected that the

kingdom of God would come with outward shew. On the other hand, the Greeks were in search of some new theory of virtue, that would gratify their reasoning powers, and accommodate itself to their natural propensities, decorated with the pompous title of wisdom. But the Apostle, unmoved by their cavils, and unawed by their threatenings, continued to proclaim the word of the cross. 23, 24, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." He had but one doctrine for the learned and the ignorant, for the self-righteous and the vicious. Though he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and had obtained a perfect knowledge of the law, he did not gratify the taste of the Jews by ingenious glosses on the prophetic writings; though he was not unacquainted with the systems of heathen philosophy, as appears from his disputing with the different sects in Greece; (Acts xvii. 17, 18.) and though he seems to have read their most celebrated writers, (chap. xv. 33.; Titus i. 12.) he did not amuse the Greeks with plausible speculations on the secrets of nature, or the origin of things; but he dwelt on the peculiar doctrines of Christianity; even those that are most offensive to the carnal mind. He declared that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah promised to the fathers, and the only mediator between God and man; that he had died on the cross, as a propitiatory sacrifice, to atone for the sins of men, and to declare the righteousness of God; and he exhorted all men every where, to repent and to believe in the only Saviour. In publishing this doctrine, he used great plainness of speech. He simply stated facts, and allowed them to speak for themselves: He used no meretricious ornaments of style; no studied arrangement of argument. Now such a doctrine was a stumbling-block to the Jews. As already noticed, they supposed that their Messiah would appear as a mighty conqueror, to deliver them from the Roman yoke, to enrich their nation with the spoils of the world, and to bring all people under the authority of the Mosaic law: they stumbled at the doctrine of a crucified Saviour. They looked on those who suffered on a cross, as accursed of God. Jesus of Nazareth had no form or comeliness in their estimation. They were scandalized at the doctrine respecting the abrogation of the Mosaic law, and the calling of the Gentiles. They were ignorant of God's method of justification by faith, and went about to establish their

Yet some would persuade us of the sufficiency of human reason to discover the truths of religion, not only in defiance of all past history, but in contradiction to known fact. In no part of the world where revelation is unknown, is the true character of God, maintained. On this point, the refined and ingenious Chinese are equally ignorant with the degraded Hottentots. The wisdom of God is displayed in thus leaving men to their own investigations, to shew the insufficiency of reason to guide them to eternal happiness; to prove the depravity of human nature when left to itself, to manifest the necessity of a revelation from heaven, and to establish the divine origin of Christianity. Accordingly, that which all the boasted systems of philosophy could not effect, was accomplished by means of the foolishness of preaching, by an instrument apparently weak and inadequate; by a scheme which human reason never could have contrived or imagined, and which yet, now that it is revealed, approves itself to be divine; the redemption of the world by Christ Jesus-this alone proves effectual to save them that believe. By the simple preaching of plain unlettered men, thousands were rescued from ignorance and vice, and made wise, holy, and happy.

This naturally leads to the enquiry, what prevented the Gospel from being universally embraced? The carnal prejudices of the Jews, and the pride of the Gentiles: 22. "For the Jews demand (alove) a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom." It was natural for the Jews to require a miracle to prove the truth of Christianity. In this way the Mosaic economy had been established ;and was no evidence of this kind afforded them? Yes; our Saviour performed many illustrious miracles in their presence; his Apostles confirmed their testimony by the same evidence. The fact of our Lord's resurrection, and the supernatural gifts of the Spirit, ought to have satisfied their minds of the truth of Christianity; but their thoughts were so preoccupied with views of temporal grandeur; they had so thoroughly persuaded themselves that the Messiah would appear as an earthly conqueror, that they despised the benevolent and unostentatious miracles of Christ and his apostles, or ascribed them to the power of evil spiritsthey demanded a sign from heaven, such a proof as was suited to their natural prejudices: they looked for a literal fulfilment of the prophecy of Daniel, (chap. vii. 13.) that the Messiah would appear in the clouds of heaven, and receive extensive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; in a word, they expected that the

kingdom of God would come with outward shew. On the other hand, the Greeks were in search of some new theory of virtue, that would gratify their reasoning powers, and accommodate itself to their natural propensities, decorated with the pompous title of wisdom. But the Apostle, unmoved by their cavils, and unawed by their threatenings, continued to proclaim the word of the cross. 23, 24, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." He had but one doctrine for the learned and the ignorant, for the self-righteous and the vicious. Though he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and had obtained a perfect knowledge of the law, he did not gratify the taste of the Jews by ingenious glosses on the prophetic writings; though he was not unacquainted with the systems of heathen philosophy, as appears from his disputing with the different sects in Greece; (Acts xvii. 17, 18.) and though he seems to have read their most celebrated writers, (chap. xv. 33.; Titus i. 12.) he did not amuse the Greeks with plausible speculations on the secrets of nature, or the origin of things; but he dwelt on the peculiar doctrines of Christianity; even those that are most offensive to the carnal mind. He declared that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah promised to the fathers, and the only mediator between God and man; that he had died on the cross, as a propitiatory sacrifice, to atone for the sins of men, and to declare the righteousness of God; and he exhorted all men every where, to repent and to believe in the only Saviour. In publishing this doctrine, he used great plainness of speech. He simply stated facts, and allowed them to speak for themselves: He used no meretricious ornaments of style; no studied arrangement of argument. Now such a doctrine was a stumbling-block to the Jews. As already noticed, they supposed that their Messiah would appear as a mighty conqueror, to deliver them from the Roman yoke, to enrich their nation with the spoils of the world, and to bring all people under the authority of the Mosaic law: they stumbled at the doctrine of a crucified Saviour. They looked on those who suffered on a cross, as accursed of God. Jesus of Nazareth had no form or comeliness in their estimation. They were scandalized at the doctrine respecting the abrogation of the Mosaic law, and the calling of the Gentiles. They were ignorant of God's method of justification by faith, and went about to establish their

own righteousness; and therefore, "they stumbled at that stumbling-stone, as it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone, and a rock of offence; and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Rom. ix. 32, 33.

To the Greeks the preaching of the cross was foolishness. They despised the Jews as a rude and illiterate people; they considered them as enemies to mankind, on account of their peculiar rites. They viewed our Saviour as an illiterate Jewish peasant, who was unacquainted with the doctrines of their celebrated sages, and had been ignominiously put to death for sedition. They were ignorant of the character of God, as infinitely holy, just and true; of the spirituality of his law; of their situation as depraved and guilty creatures; consequently, they did not perceive the necessity of an atonement. They idolized the powers of reason, and derided the mysterious doctrines of the Gospel as foolishness. Very different is the estimate formed of this doctrine by those who are called.—The persons here said to be called, must refer to those who are chosen by divine grace, and enlightened by the Holy Spirit; for many enjoy the external call of the Gospel to whom it continues a stumbling-block and foolishness. Those who are taught of God, whether Jews or Gentiles, laying aside their former prejudices, vicious habits, and self-righteous hopes, receive the word of reconciliation with joy, as equally necessary for both, and equally free to both. They perceive in the Gospel evident marks of divine power and wisdom. The word Christ may here mean either the doctrine of the cross as before, (ver. 18.) or the person and character of Christ. The former seems chiefly intended. Now the Gospel exhibits the power of God, not only in the illustrious miracles by which it was confirmed, and the remarkable success attending its promulgation, but especially in foiling all the designs of Satan, and all the opposition of the world; thus Christ is said to have spoiled principalities and powers, triumphing over them in his cross, Col. ii. 15. It overthrew the empire of superstition and ignorance; it delivers men as well from the power as from the guilt of sin; it raises them from the depths of misery to the height of glory and blessedness; they are themselves the monuments of its power. It has triumphed over all the malice, all the power and wit of man; and the utmost efforts of persecution and infidelity have never been able to undermine its truth, or to arrest its progress. It presents the most effectual motives to a life of holiness.