SERMON XVIII.

GOD ONLY KNOWN BY REVELATION.

1 CORINTHIANS, Chap. i. Ver. 21.

For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleafed God by the foolishness of preaching to fave them that believe.

'HE church of Chrift at Corinth, to which the

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apoftle directs this epiftle, was planted by him, and had been watered by Apollos, and increased by the Lord with a rich variety of spiritual gifts and graces. Though it was greatly out of order at the time, and all things were not right with them, yet they are addreffed as a church of Chrift. Paul directs himself to the spiritual and myftic members of Chrift among them, giving them the style and title of fanctified in Chrift Jefus which points out their feparation in Chrift, their being chofen by God the Father in him, and separated, or set apart to partake of grace in time, and glory in eternity. In confequence of their fanctification in Chrift, they had been made partakers of the glorious fruits and effects of it: they were renewed

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in the fpirit of their minds, quickened by the Holy Spirit, and made alive to God, were called to be faints, being called with an holy calling. To these he addresseth himself, thanking God, on their behalf, for those rich gifts of free grace bestowed on them; that they were enriched in all utterance, and in all knowledge; came behind in no fpiritual gift; were waiting in faith for the fecond coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift: and they are comforted with an affurance that he would confirm them unto the end, that they should be blameless in and at the day of his glorious appearing of which they might be confident from the faithfulness of God, who had called them into the fellowship of his Son, Jefus Chrift our Lord. The apostle exhorts them to unity and concord amongft themselves. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that ye all build upon the one perfect, everlasting, tried foundation-the perfon, blood, and obedience of Chrift alone; that ye all look to him as the object of your faith and joy in your hearts; that ye all speak the fame thing, hold the famè fundamental truths, cordially embrace them, and perfectly unite in love and affection to Chrift, his gospel and ordinances, minifters and worship: and that there be no divifions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the fame mind, and in the fame judgment. Intimating that he was informed by a family of confiderable note amongst them, that this was not the cafe. He takes notice of the cause of these diffentions, and gives an account of the manner in which he had preached the gospel among them. Chrift (fays he) fent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, which

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words are not to be interpreted, as though he was not authorized and commanded by Christ to baptize, as well as to preach; but they mean that his principal work lay in preaching the gospel and planting churches. When perfons, by the almighty energy of the Spirit of Chrift were brought to believe, upon their defiring baptism they were directed to those minifters who were ftyled evangelifts, who were Paul's companions. in travel, to whom the adminiftration of this ordinance was committed. The fimplicity of his preaching was manifeft. And although the matter of it was of eternal importance, yet he preached Chrift, not with wisdom of words, left the cross of Chrift should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross, i. e. the doctrine of Christ crucified, is to them tha: perish, foolishness; but unto us which are faved, it is the power of God. Upon this he quotes a paffage from the prophecy of Isaiah, which had been fulfilled in the people of the Jews. For it is written, I will defroy the wisdom of the wife, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Then he ufes his own words, with a defign to humble the pride of, and bring into, comtempt all human greatnefs and excellency: Where is the wife? Philofophers, can they by fearching find out God? Where is the fcribe? The letter learned and profound scholar, does he fee, efteem, and value this mystery of God, falvation by the death and paffion of his Son? Where is the difputer of this world? who pretends to give an account of the caufes, reafon, and fitnefs of things: Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Inasmuch as the myfteries of the gospel exceed their comprehenfion, are fuperior to their

reafon, and above their apprehenfion. For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleafed God by the foolishness of preaching to fave them that believe.

I fhall, by the Lord's affiftance, attempt an explanation of my text in the following manner :

By endeavouring to exprefs what may be conceived to be the apostle's meaning in these words, For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God.

Then I will ftate the utter impoffibility of coming to the true and faving knowledge of God but by revelation and inspiration.

Afterwards, it will be confidered, that it is the good pleasure of God, by the foolishness of preaching, to fave them that believe.

My propofal is, firft, to explain and express what may be conceived to be meant by the apoftle in these words: For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wifdom knew not God. The wifdom of God here, without doubt, refers to the display of it in the creation, fuftentation, government, and difpofal of the heavens and the earth, with all therein; and which discover fuch an imprefs of Deity, that it may be truly faid, The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament Sheweth his handy work. The visible world and every part of it, is a book wherein we may read fome fyllables of Godhead. The power of God is evident in fpeaking all things out of nothing into being-in ftretching out the heavens like a curtain- laying the beams of his chambers in the waters-in compaffing the earth with bounds until day and night come to an

end; and in fetting bounds to the mighty waters, that they turn not again to cover the earth. The wifdom of God fhines forth in the order, variety, and beauty of creation. The goodness of God, in communicating to every creature various endowments for their usefulness to one another, and furnishing them with abilities to attain their ends. Yea, God is the fountain of all perfection, and his immutability is manifeft by the creatures, every one of which being fubject to change, partakes therefore more or less of imperfection. His eternity may be seen in creation, fince JEHOVAH must exift before what was made by him: his omniscience, he being prefent with all the works of his hands his fovereignty, in that his kingdom ruleth over all: his fpirituality, he being invisible: his fufficiency, feeing all creatures had a beginning, and he had no more need of them in time, than before time: his majesty, in the glory and luftre of the heavens, which are his throne. Though fo much of God is vifibly manifested in creation, and the conftant viciffitudes of providential events, yet it is affirmed, the world by wifdom knew not God. Man, the epitome of all creation, was made in the likenefs and image of God: and the firft Adam was filled with wifdom and understanding. He knew JEHOVAH in his nature, perfons, and perfections, as far as was fuitable to his state and capacity. He knew the creation of all worlds, beings, and things, to be an act of pure fovereignty; that the divine, coequal, and coeternal Three, were jointly concerned therein: that the end proposed by them was the glory of the divine perfec