SECT. 111.]

DIVINE INFLUENCE.

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struck with the harmony and connection of its doctrines, and see increasing evidence of its being the work of that Divine Spirit, who searcheth all things, even the deep counsels of God.

Such being the divine authority of the religion of Christ, it is natural to enquire, Why was the apostolic testimony rejected by any? The answer is,-not from want of evidence, but from a previous indisposition of mind to receive it. 14. "But the natural man (oxizos does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot (« durarmı) know them, because they are spiritually (TIN) discerned." It has been disputed, what class of persons the Apostle describes under the character of the natural man. Some translate the word Juxos, the animal man; so it is rendered by Doddridge and Macknight, the latter of whom thus paraphrases the verse; "Now an animal man, who judges of things by his senses and passions and natural reason, believeth not the matters revealed by the Spirit of God; for they appear foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually examined; examined by the light which revelation, and not reason, affords." "Of this character," he adds in the notes, "were the heathen philosophers, to whom the doctrines of the Gospel were foolishness; also the Jewish scribes, and those false teachers whom Jude calls sensual, or animal men, not having the Spirit." It is admitted on all hands, that the expression includes those who, by the indulgence of their sensual appetites, lose all relish for the examination of spiritual things; thus, in Jude 19. the word is rendered sensual. But it has unquestionably a much wider signification in Scripture, and in the passage just quoted is explained to mean, "those who have not the Spirit;" in a word, all unregenerate persons. The animal or natural man is opposed, not to the intellectual, or the merely rational man, but to the spiritual. But the Apostle declares, "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." It is evident that the pride of human reasoning and of self-righteousness, is as much opposed to the humbling doctrines of the Gospel, as are the inclinations of animal nature. Indeed, a great part of the persecution, ridicule, and invective, which have assailed Christianity, has originated with persons of the former description. According to the explanation given in the paraphrase above quoted, the Gospel appears foolishness only to those who judge of it by the light of

reason, without regard to revelation, or who make their senses and passions the rule of their conduct. But the learned commentator does not reflect, that there are many who profess the utmost reverence for the divine authority of the word of God, and who are distinguished for the external propriety of their morals, to whom the peculiar doctrines of the Gospel appear foolishness, no less than to the proud infidel, or the profligate sensualist. Take, for example, the doctrine of justification by faith in the imputed righteousness of Christ, the doctrine of the new birth by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit, the necessity of a life of faith in the Son of God, or the internal warfare between the flesh and spirit. They are ready, with Nicodemus, to ask, "how can these things be?" or, with the Jews, "doth he not speak parables?" "this is an hard saying, who can hear it?" There are also many who theoretically hold these doctrines, but are entire strangers to their spiritual efficacy; they do not know them, so as cordially to approve of them; as the word know often signifies. This is not owing to any thing unintelligible in the doctrines of Christianity, or in the language in which they are revealed, but it is owing to the medium through which they are viewed. The minds of all natural men are preoccupied with the pleasures and pursuits of the world; they are not convinced of their danger as sinners; and therefore they use no means for obtaining deliverance. They are under the influence of that wicked one "who blinds the minds of them that believe not." If the expression, "they are spiritually discerned," merely signifies that the things of the Spirit are examined by the light which revelation affords, then it would follow that all who examine them by that light would perceive their truth and excellence; but this we see is far from being the case; and therefore it must refer to a special communication of divine influence, distinct from the written word, by which the mind is enlightened to behold the glory, worth, and suitableness of spiritual things. The Spirit makes no new revelation to the mind, but he removes the veil of prejudice, unbelief, and self-righteousness, so that the discoveries of divine truth, appear in a new and interesting light, and are received by the spiritual man as worthy of all acceptation. An entire change is thus produced on all the powers of the mind, which is the subject of consciousness, and of which the christian can no more doubt, than that light and heat are com

municated by the natural sun. Possessing this spiritual discern. ment, the meanest christian possesses more experimental knowledge of the truth and excellence of the gospel, than the most profound scholar, who is destitute of the Spirit: But still, it is by means of the written word that the Spirit produces conviction; and therefore it must be studied with earnest prayer for divine illumination. Those who do not apply their heart to understand this word, shall therefore be justly condemned for their unbelief. Some have said that the most diligent efforts on the part of the natural man, will not produce a spiritual discernment of heavenly truth. But can we suppose a natural man to be desirous of spiritual knowledge? By the supposition of his be ing such, the things of the Spirit are foolishness to him. Whereever there is a desire after the truth, it has been produced by the Holy Spirit, and shall certainly be fulfilled.

While the things of God are hid from the unregenerate, " he that is spiritual judgeth all things, but he himself is judged (xxgra) by no man." 15. He discerns the glory of God in the person of Jesus Christ-the adaptation of the Gospel to his condi tion, as a fallen and guilty creature-the vanity of all attempts to work out a righteousness of his own-the unsatisfying nature of earthly objects, and the certainty and worth of those things which are unseen and eternal. At the same time, the world cannot judge of the nature of those principles and motives by which he regulates his conduct; they cannot enter into his feelings, or participate in his spiritual joys and sorrows; nor can they condemn him in their own consciences, though they may affect to censure his conduct; by well-doing, he puts to silence the ignorant cavils of foolish men. In a sense peculiar to themselves, the apostles had a clear discernment of the will of God, and could not submit to be examined by any human authority. To them might be applied the language of the prophet, Isaiah xl. 13. where Jehovah asserts his omniscience and divine sovereignty, "For who hath known the mind (v) of the Lord, who shall, or, that he may, instruct him? (sovačičaru avtor)” 16. Some think the word avtor, him, refers to the spiritual man, as if the Apostle had asked what natural man has such a knowledge of the divine will, that he shall be able to refute the principles or doctrines of the spiritual man? But it is evident that in the language of the prophet, the Spirit of the Lord is the an

tecedent to this relative, "Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or, being his counsellor, hath taught him?" The meaning of the Apostle seems therefore to be, "Who can fathom the depths of the divine counsels, or improve on the plans of heavenly wisdom, or inform the omniscient Spirit of what he did not know before?" Certainly none would be so presumptuous and vain ; well then, he adds, "but we have the mind of Christ." The expression is elliptical, and it is left to the reader to draw the obvious conclusion. "As Christ is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in counsel and operation; and as we understand the mind of Christ, no one surely will presume to arraign our authority, or to reject our instructions." This would be equally presumptuous, as to think of instructing or reproving the omniscient Jehovah. In a spiritual sense, all christians have a measure of the same mind that was in Christ, by a resemblance to him in the moral perfections of his character, Phil. ii. 5. but the other is the obvious meaning of the passage.

REFLECTIONS.

1. The Apostle evidently lays claim to divine inspiration. He asserts that he had received the Spirit of God, that he spoke in words taught by him, that he had a spiritual discernment of all things; that he had, in fact, the mind of Christ. If such expressions do not imply a consciousness of speaking by inspiration, no language could prove this doctrine.

2. How important a duty is it to examine the Scriptures, to see whether these things are so! Are the things of God esteemed foolishness by us? How evident then the conclusion, that we are destitute of the Spirit of Christ. Without this, how incompetent are we to judge of spiritual persons or things!

CHAPTER THIRD.

SECTION FIRST.-VERSES 1-8.

PAUL'S REASONS FOR ADDRESSING THE CORINTHIANS AS BABES IN CHRIST.

I would appear that the factious teachers in the church at Corinth had endeavoured to bring the apostolic character of Paul into suspicion, by insinuating that he had not fully instructed the members in the doctrines of Christianity, while, at the same time, they pretended to lead them into more deep and comprehensive views of divine truth. They complained that the Apostle had treated the Corinthians like children, feeding them with milk, whilst they affected to consider them as full grown men, who were capable of digesting strong meat. This flattered the vanity of the Greek converts, who were naturally fond of speculation, and were still attached to their former mode of philosophising on divine things, and were losing sight of the great design of the Gospel, to promote humility of mind and purity of heart. The unadorned preaching of the Apostle, contrasted with the rhetorical manner of their new teachers, seemed to confirm the suspicion that had been excited in their minds respecting him; and, in this chapter he explains his reasons for mainly insisting on the first rudiments of Christianity during his abode in Corinth.-1. "And I, brethren, could not (oux ndumen was unable to) speak to you as to spiritual persons (μт), but as to carnal (as), as to babes in Christ." It was not from any incapacity on his part to instruct them in the more sublime discoveries of revelation, that he had been led to adopt this method; for he had proved in the preceding chapter, that he, in common with the other apostles, had the mind of Christ, and was under the guidance of the Holy