1 COR. 1. 26.
THe Apostle at the 18. Verse, begins an excellent discourse about the maner and way which God taketh to convert and save men; for whereas the eye of reason doth look for some Wise, Eloquent, and Externally glorious manner; the Apostle sheweth, that God taketh the clean contrary way, by that admirable position, verse 26. to be engraven on all our hearts, and which is of daily use, both in Religious and Civil Affairs, The foolishness of God is wiser then men; and the weakness of God stronger then men; the Apostle calls the foolishness and weakness of God, that which in humane thoughts and respects is so: Now he considers, that the things of God, which have this outward despicable appearance, yet have glorious operations; whereupon the Apostle amplifieth this transcendent method of God, as in the manner of preaching the Gospel, so in the persons that are converted thereby, in the Text read: where First, we have the introduction to observe. Secondly, The matter to be considered. The introduction, For ye see your calling; some read it imperatively, See and take notice of your calling; which way soever you take it, it amounts to this, That Gods calling of men from a state of sin, to grace, is like Ezekiels waters, that rise up higher and higher; we may still take notice of some more excellent and admirable aggravations in it: The looking upon the Creation, and considering of the Creatures, it may justly stir up men to glorifie the Wisdom and power of God: But this much more; and that which the Apostle doth especially take notice of in this Text is, the persons whom he hath called, and they are described, first, Negatively, then Positively. Negatively, Not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble; where he doth not absolutely deny, no wise, no mighty, no great ones; for examples in Scripture are recorded, of some few such, but not many: This is a serious consideration, to shame and confound all flesh; Who do not look upon these things, as making men happy and glorious? but God overlooketh them all. Now to fix us the more upon this consideration, he illustrates it on the contrary, God hath chosen foolish and weak, and base things in the world: The Apostle in this Argument, makes calling and choosing all one, because they necessarily agree, as the cause and effect together, Election and efficacious calling follow one another. Lastly, the Apostle instructs us about the end of Gods dispensation in all these things; and that is twofold; 1. To confound the wise, and to bring to nought the mighty things that are. 2. Which is a consequent of the former, That no flesh should glory in his presence; that none may say, It was his power, wisdom, or any humane excellency that did thus advance him, but Gods grace onely. Let us first consider the introduction, You see, or, See your calling: And observe,
That Gods calling of us, is worthy of many serious and fixed meditations.
Observ. Its like Tapestry folded up, which when opened, makes a glorious shew. If the Queen of Sheba had her spirit faint within her, with admiration of Solomons wisdom, how much rather may we, in beholding of the wisdom and goodness of God herein? Our Saviour saith, The kingdom of heaven comes not by observation, Luke. 17. 10. that is, the excellent works of grace, which are the Kingdom of Heaven; and the Gospel, which is the instrument of these; they come not as1 great Kings and Emperors to a place, with a great deal of pomp and ostentation, to say, Here it comes, and there it goeth; but it is after a spiritual and invisible maner; even as the wind, which seemeth to be nothing, we cannot see it with the eye, or feel it with the hand, yet it hath mighty and powerful operations: As it was with Christ himself, he was in a despicable form, a worm and no man, accounted amongst the wicked, when yet he was at the same time a glorious and infinite God; but yet because of that outward appearance, they despised him, Is not this the Carpenters Son; And he was accounted of no reputation: Even so it is with the called ones of God, they are such that the world despiseth, contemneth, the learned ones and great ones of the world, they do none of these things; not considering what rich jewels are in these course Cabinets: So that as our Saviour saith, Blessed is he that is not offended at me; so also, blessed is he that is not offended at the way and manner of Gods calling: But now let us go into this Temple, and behold the wonderful works of God. And
First, The grace of God it self in calling any, though never so few, is with heart and mouth to be always acknowledged: God who had his onely2 son to delight in, and millions of Angels to serve him, that he should call thee so poor, so weak, so inconsiderable, this should set thee upon the very pinacle of admiration. How often do you see Paul gathering up this manna, and every day, like a true spiritual Dives, he fareth deliciously upon comfortable meditations, sometimes the grace of God, sometimes the riches of his grace, sometimes the unsearchable riches of his grace: Oh how unexcusable are the people of God for their unthankfulness, dulness, and unbelief in this particular! They are not affected to ravishment with the grace of God calling them, they do not aggravate every meditation, they do not set home every thing that may make their souls run over, to make them say, O Lord, my heart suffers violence within me, I can hold no longer; thy love, thy grace in calling me, doth even overwhelm me.