Our aim should be to commend our manner, how can an infidel and a scofmessage to every man's conscience; fer say to a Christian, that all his hopes and to do it with humility towards and joys, his love and peace are delusion God, and deep solicitude; with bold- and fanaticism? The truth is, that the ness towards our fellow men-respect- great mass of Christians are just as well fully towards them—but still resolved satisfied of the truth of religion, as they to tell the truth. ver. 3.

are of their own existence; and that a 4th. The faith of Christians does not Christian will die for his love to the stand in the wisdom of man. Every Saviour, just as he will die for his wife, Christian has evidence in his own and children, and country. Martyrdom heart, in his experience, and in the in the one case is on the same princitransformation of his character, that ple as martyrdom in the other. Marnone but God could have wrought the tyrdom in either, is noble and honourchange on his soul. His hopes, his able, and evinces the highest qualities joys, his peace, his sanctification, his and principles of the human mind. love of prayer, of the Bible, of Chris- 5th. Christians are influenced by true tians, of God, and of Christ, are all such wisdom. ver. 6. They are not fools ; as nothing could have produced but the though they appear to be to their fellow mighty power of God. All these bear men. They see a real beauty and wismarks of their high origin. They are dom in the plan of redemption which the work of God on the soul. And as the world does not discern. It is not the Christian is fully conscious that the wisdom of this world ; but it is the these are not the native feelings of his wisdom which looks to eternity. Is a heart—that if left to himself he would man a fool who acts with reference to never have had them; so he has the the future? Is he a fool who believes fullest demonstration that they are to that he shall live to all eternity, and be traced to a divine source. And can who regards it as proper to make prepahe be mistaken about their existence ? ration for that eternity? Is he a fool Can a man doubt whether he has joy, who acts as if he were to die-to be and peace, and happiness? Is the in- judged—to enter on an unchanging fidel to tell him coolly that he must be destiny ? Folly is manifested in closmistaken in regard to the existence of ing the eyes on the reality of the conthese emotions, and that it is all delu- dition ; not in looking at it as it is. The sion? Can a child doubt whether it man who is sick, and who strives to loves a parent; a husband whether he convince himself that he is well; the loves his wife; a friend, a friend; a man, man whose affairs are in a state of his country? And can he doubt whe- bankruptcy, and who is unwilling to ther this emotion produces joy? And know it, is a fool. The man who is can a man doubt whether he loves willing to know all about his situation, God? Whether he has different views and to act accordingly, is a wise man. from what he once had? Whether he The one represents the conduct of a has peace and joy in view of the cha- sinner, the other that of Christian. A racter of God, and the hope of heaven? man who should see his child drowning, And by what right shall the infidel tell or his house on fire, or the pestilence him that he is mistaken, and that all breathing around him, and be unconthis is delusion? How can he enter cerned, or dance amidst such scenes, into the soul, and pronounce the man would be a fool or a madman. And is who professes to have these feelings not the sinner who is gay and thoughtmistaken ? What should we think of less over the grave and over hell equally the man who should tell a wife that foolish and mad? And if there be a she did not love her husband; or a God, a heaven, a Saviour, and a hell ; father that he did not love his children? if men are to die, and to be judged, is How can he know this ? And, in like he not wise who acts as if it were so,

and who lives accordingly? While should our hearts rise in gratitude to Christians, therefore, may not be distin- him for his unspeakable gift! guished for the wisdom of this world 8th. One great and prominent cause while many are destitute of learning, of sin is the fact that men are blind to science, and eloquence, they have a the reality and beauty of spiritual obwisdom which shall survive when alljects. So it was with those who cruother is vanished away.

cified the Lord. ver. 8. Had they seen 6th. All the wisdom of this world shall his glory as it was, they would not have come to naught. ver. 6. What will be crucified him. And so it is now. When the value of political sagacity, when all men blaspheme God, they see not his governments shall come to an end but excellency; when they revile religion, the divine government? What the they know not its real value ; when value of eloquence, and graceful dic- they break the laws of God, they do tion, when we stand at the judgment not fully discern their purity and their seat of Christ? What the value of importance. It is true they are wilfully science in this world, when all shall be ignorant, and their crime is often enrevealed with the clearness of noonday ? hanced by this fact; but it is equally How low will appear all human attain- true that they know not what they ments in that world, when the light of do.” For such poor, blinded, deluded eternal day shall be shed over all the mortals, the Saviour prayed; and for works of God? How little can human such we should all pray. The man that science do to advance the eternal inte-curses God, has no just sense of what rests of man ? And how shall all fade he is doing. The man who is profane, away in the future world of glory-just and a scoffer, and a liar, and an adulas the feeble glimmering of the stars terer, has no just sense of the awful fade away before the light of the morn- nature of his crime ; and is an object ing sun! How little, therefore, should of commiseration-while his sin should we pride ourselves on the highest attain be hated—and is a proper subject of ments of science, and the most elevated prayer. distinctions of learning and eloquence. 9th. Men are often committing the

7th. God has a purpose in regard to most awful crimes when they are unthe salvation of men. ver. 7. This conscious of it. ver. 8. What crime scheme was ordained before the world. could compare with that of crucifying It was not a new device. It was not the only Son of God? And what crime the offspring of chance, an accident, could be attended with more dreadful or an after thought. It was because consequences to its perpetrators ? So God purposed it from eternity. God of sinners now. They little know what has a plan; and this plan contem- they do; and they little know the conplates the salvation of his people. And sequences of their sins. A man may it greatly enhances the value of this curse his Maker, and say it is in sport! benevolent plan in the eyes of his peo- But how will it be regarded in the day ple, that it has been the object of the of judgment? A man may revile the eternal earnest desire and purpose of Saviour! But how will it appear

when God. How much a gift is enhanced he dies? It is a solemn thing to trifle in value from the fact that it has been with God and with his laws. A man is long the purpose of a parent to bestow safer when he sports on a volcano, or it; that he has toiled for it; that he has when he makes a jest of the pestimade arrangements for it; and that this lence or the forked lightnings of heahas been the chief object of his efforts ven, than when he sports with reliand his plan for years. So the favours gion and with God! In a world like of eternal redemption are bestowed on this, men should be serious and fear Christians as the fruit of the eternal God. A single deed, like that of the purpose and desire of God. And how crucifixion of Christ, may be remem

a

bered when all the circumstances of the beauty of the things of religion. sport and mockery shall have passed To all this beauty he is blind. This away-remembered when the world is a sober and a most melancholy fact. be destroyed, and stars and suns shall Whatever may be the cause of it

, the rush to ruin.

fact is undeniable and sad. It is 10th. Christians have views of the so with the sensualist; with the men beauties of religion, and have consola- of avarice, pride, ambition, and licentitions arising from these views, which the ousness. The gospel is regarded as world has not. ver. 9. They have dif- folly, and is despised and scorned by the ferent views of God, of Christ, of heaven, men of this world. This is true in all of eternity. They see a beauty in all places, among all people, and at all these things, and a wisdom in the plan times. To this there are no exceptions of salvation, which the men of the world in human nature ; and over this we do not see. The contemplations of this should sit down and weep. beauty and wisdom, and the evidence 15th. The reason of this is, that men which they have that they are interested love darkness. It is not that they are in all this, gives them a joy which the destitute of the natural faculties for love world does not possess. They see what ing God, for they have as strong native the eye has not elsewhere seen ; they powers as those who become Christians. enjoy what men elsewhere have not it is because they love sin—and this enjoyed ; and they are elevated to pri- simple fact, carried out into all its bearvileges which men elsewhere do not ings, will account for all the difficulties possess. On earth they partake of hap- in the way of the sinner's conversion. piness which the world never can give, There is nothing else ; and and in heaven they shall partake of the 16th. We see here the value of the fulness of that joy-of pleasures there influences of the Spirit. It is by this which the eye had not before seen, nor Spirit alone that the mind of the Christhe ear heard, nor the heart of man tian is enlightened, sanctified, and comconceived. Who would not be a forted. It is by him alone that he sees Christian ?

the beauty of the religion which he 11th. The Holy Ghost is in some loves; it is by his influence alone that sense distinct from the Father. This is he differs from his fellow men. And implied in his action as an agent-in no less important is it for the sinner. searching, knowing, &c. ver. 10, 11. Without the influences of that Spirit his An attribute ; a quality, does not search mind will always be in darkness, and and know.

his heart will always hate the gospel. 12th. The Holy Spirit is divine. How anxiously, therefore, should he None can know God but one equal to cherish his influences ! How careful himself. If the Spirit intimately knows should he be not to grieve him away! the wisdom, the goodness, the omnis- 17th. There is a difference between cience, the eternity, the power of God, Christians and other men. One is enhe must be divine. No created being lightened by the Holy Spirit, the other can have this intelligence. ver. 10, 11. not; one sees a beauty in religion, to

13th. Christians are actuated by a the other it is folly ; the one has the different spirit from the men of this mind of Christ, the other has the spirit world. ver. 12. They are influenced of the world ; the one discerns the exby a regard to God and his glory. The cellency of the plan of salvation, to the men of the world are under the influ- other all is darkness and folly. How ence of pride, avarice, sensuality, am- could beings differ more in their moral bition, and vainglory.

feelings and views than do Christians 14th. The sinner does not perceive and the men of this world ?

CHAPTER III. spiritual, but as unto carnal, even A

ND I, brethren, could not as unto babes in Christ. speak unto you as unto a c.2.14,15. 6 Heb.5.12,13. 1 Pet.2.2.

CHAPTER. III.

they had been distracted with disputes The design of this chapter is sub- and strifes, which demonstrated that stantially the same as the former. It they were not prepared for the higher is to reprove the pride, the philosophy, doctrines of Christianity. He then the vain wisdom on which the Greeks reproves them for their contentions, on so much rested; and to show that the the ground that it was of little consegospel was not dependent on that for sequence by what instrumentality they its success, and that that had been the had been brought to the knowledge of occasion of no small part of the con- the gospel, and that there was no occatentions and strifes which had arisen in sion for their strifes and sects. ALL the church at Corinth. The chapter success, whoever was the instrument, is occupied mainly with an account of was to be traced to God (ver. 5–7), his own ministry with them; and and the fact that one teacher or another seems designed to meet an objection had first instructed them, or that one which either was made, or could have was more eloquent than another, should been made by the Corinthians them- not be the foundation for contending selves, or by the false teacher that was sects. God was the source of all among them. In ch. ii. 12—16, he blessings. Yet in order to show the had affirmed that Christians were real nature of his own work, in order in fact under the influence of the to meet the whole of the objection, he Spirit of God; that they were enlight- goes on to state that he had done the ened in a remarkable degree ; that they most important part of the work in the understood all things pertaining to church himself. He had laid the the Christian religion. To this, it foundation; and all the others were either was, or could have been objected but rearing the superstructure. And that Paul, when among them had not much as his instructions might appear instructed them fully in the more deep to be elementary, and unimportant, yet and abstruse points of the gospel; and it had been done with the same skill that he had confined his instructions to which an architect evinces who labours the very rudiments of the Christian that the foundation may be well laid religion. Of this, probably the false and firm. ver. 10, 11. The others teachers who had formed parties among who had succeeded him, whoever they them, had taken the advantage, and were, were but builders upon this had pretended to carry the instruction foundation. The foundation had been to a much greater length, and to ex. well laid, and they should be careful plain many things which Paul had left how they built on it. ver. 12-16. unexplained. Hence this division into The mention of this fact--that he had parties. It became Paul, therefore, to laid the foundation, and that that state why he had confined his instruc- foundation was Jesus Christ, and that tions to the rudiments of the gospel they had been reared upon that as a among them—and this occupies the church, leads him to the inference (ver. first part of the chapter, v. l-11. The 16, 17), that they should be holy as. reason was, that they were not pre- the temple of God; and the conclusion pared to receive higher instruction, but from the whole is, (1.) That no man were carnal, and he could not address should deceive himself, of which there them as being prepared to enter fully was so much danger (ver. 18—20); into the more profound doctrines of the and, (2.) That no Christian should Christian religion. The proof that glory in men, for all things were theirs. this was so, was found in the fact that It was no matter who had been their

2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto

teacher on earth, all belonged to God; and they had a common interest in the most eminent teachers of religion, and they should rise above the petty rivalships of the world, and rejoice in the assurance that all things belonged to them. ver. 21-23.

unrenewed, and who is wholly under the influence of his sensual or animal nature, and is nowhere applied to Christians. This is applied here to Christians-but to those who have much of the remains of corruption, and who are imperfectly acquainted with the nature of religion; babes in Christ. It denotes those who still evinced the feelings and views which pertain to the flesh, in these unhappy

"The works of the flesh are hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, envyings" (Gal. v. 20, 21); and these they had evinced in their divisions; and Paul knew that their danger lay in this direction, and he therefore addressed them according to their character. Paul applies the word to himself (Rom. vii. 14), "for I am carnal;" and here it denotes that they were as yet under the influence of the corrupt passions and desires which the flesh produces. As unto babes in Christ. As unto those recently born into his kingdom, and unable to understand the profounder doctrines of the Christian religion. It is a common figure to apply the term infants and children to those who are feeble in understanding, or unable, from any cause, to comprehend the more profound instructions of science or religion.

1. And I, brethren. See ch. ii. 1. This is designed to meet an implied objection. He had said (ch. ii. 14-16) that Christians were able to understand all things. Yet, they would re-contentions, and strifes, and divisions. collect that he had not addressed them as such, but had confined himself to the more elementary parts of religion when he came among them. He had not entered upon the abstruse and difficult points of theology-the points of speculation in which the subtle Greeks so much abounded and so much delighted. He now states the reason why he had not done it. The reason was one that was most humbling to their pride; but it was the true reason, and faithfulness demanded that it should be stated. It was, that they were carnal, and not qualified to understand the deep mysteries of the gospel; and the proof of this was unhappily at hand. It was too evident in their contentions and strifes, that they were under the influence of carnal feelings and views. Could not speak unto you as unto spiritual. I could not regard you as spiritual-as -as qualified to enter into the full and higher truths of the gospel; I could not regard you as divested of the feelings which influence carnal menthe men of the world, and I addressed you accordingly. I could not discourse to you as to far-advanced and well-informed Christians. I taught you the rudiments only of the Christian religion.' He refers here, doubtless, to his instructions when he founded the church at Corinth. See Note, ch. ii. 13 —15. ¶ But as unto carnal. The word carnal here (ragnois) is not the same which in ch. ii. 14 is translated natural (vxmós). That refers to one who is

2. I have fed you with milk. Paul here continues the metaphor, which is derived from the custom of feeding infants with the lightest food. Milk here evidently denotes the more simple and elementary doctrines of Christianity-the doctrines of the new birth, of repentance, faith, &c. The same figure occurs in Heb. v. 11-14; and also in classical writers. See Wetstein. ¶ And not with meat. Meat here denotes the more sublime and mysterious doctrines of religion. For hitherto. Formerly, when I came among you, and laid the foundations of the church. You were not

Not able to bear it.