My last and least request to you is this. That you will please to cast a mantle of love over the mistakes of the press, and do me that right, and yourselves the courtesy, as, befoi-e you read, to correct any material faults that you shall find pointed at in the errata.^
God's easy passing over the many and daily erratas of your lives, cannot but make you so ingenuous as readily to pass over the erratas in this book.
You are choice jewels in my eye; you lie near unto my heart; I am willing to spend and be spent for your sakes. My earnest and humble desire is, that my service and labour of love may be accepted by you, Rom. XV. 31, and that it may work much for your internal and eternal welfare ; and that ' an abundant entrance may be administered to you into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,' 2 Pet. i. il, and i. 8 ; and that you may be filled ' with joy unspeakable and full of glory,' and with that ' peace that passes understanding.' This is, and by grace shall be, the prayer of him who desires to approve him.self faithful to Clirist, Ins truths, his interests, and his people, and Avl.o is your souls' servant in all gospel engagements.
' Ingratitude, say some, is a monster in nature, a solecism in manners, and a parado.x in grace, damming up the course of donations, divine and human.
■'' See our Index under Psylli, as before. — G.
' 1 Thes. V. 25 ; 2 Thes. iii. 1 ; Heb. iii. 18 ; Col. iv. 3 ; Philip. 1. 19 ; 2 Cor. i. 11 ; Acts xii. 5; Rev. xiv. 13.
* In every pomegranate there is at least one rotten kernel to be found, said Crates the pliilosopher. [Suidas, a. v. K^irtii — G.]
THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST.
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.— Epk. JIl. 8.
' Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints.'
The Greek is a comparative made of a superlative. ' Less than the least of all saints,' is a double diminutive, and signifies lesser than the least, if lesser might be/ Here you have the greate-st apostle descending down to the lowest step of humility. Great Paul is least of saints, last of the apostles, and greatest of sinners.* The choicest buildings have the lowest foundations, the best balsam sinks to the bottom ; those ears of corn and boughs of trees that are most filled and best laden, bow lowest. So do those souls that are most loaden with the fruits of paradise. ' Unto me who am less than the least of all saints.'
' Is this grace given.'
In the Greek, or ' was this grace given.'^ The word that is here ren- dered grace, is taken in Scripture not only for the favour of God, but also for his gracious gifts ; and so you are to understand it in this place. Grace is taken for the gifts of grace ; and they are twofold, common or special. Some are common to believers and hypocrites, as know- ledge, tongues, a gift of prayer, &c. ; some are special and peculiar to the saints, as fear, love, faith, &c. Now Paul had all these, the better to fit him for that high and noble service to which he was called.
' That I should preach!
That is, declare good news or glad tidings. The Greek word answers to the Hebrew word, which signifies good news, glad tidings, and a joyful message.*
' That I should preach araong the Gentiles'
Sometimes this Greek word is generally used for all men, or for all nations. Sometimes the word is used more especially for the people of
' iXaxurroTfou, minimissimus. — Estius. [Commentaria in omnes S. Paiili Epist., in loco. 2 vols, folio, 1709.— G.]
2 Qui parvus est in reptttatione propria, magntts est in reputatione divina. — Grogory [Na- zianzen]. He that is little in his own account is great in God's esteem.
^ ihiSn h x'^i'^ avTt). x'^Vf^'^ is always taken in Scripture for a free gift, a grace gift ; but x'*-i'i is taken not only for the favour of God, but also for his gracious gifts.
* »^»i<r/» iiia.yyiK'ita36a.t, Mat. xxviii. 19 ; John xi. 48, 50, 51 ; Acts x. 22.
8 THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. III. 8.
the Jews. Sometimes it is used for the Gentiles distinguished from the Jews. So it is used Mat. vi. 32, ' For after all these things do the Gentiles seek.' And so it is used here. Those that are ' without God in the world,' that stand in arms against God, that are ignorant of those riches of grace that are in Christ ; this grace is given to me, that I should preach among the poor heathens, ' the unsearchable riches of Christ.'
' That I might preach among the Gentiles.' AMiat, myself ? No, but ' the unsearchable riches of Chnst.'^
The Greek word signifies, not to be traced out.^ Here is rhetoric indeed ! Here is riches, unsearchable riches, unsearchable riches of Christ. Riches always imply two things : 1, abundance ; 2, abundance of such things as be of w^orth. Now in the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest riches, the best riches, the choicest riches ; in Christ are riches of justification, Titus ii. 14 ; in Christ are riches of sanctification, Philip, iv. 12, 13 ; in Christ are riches of consolation, 2 Cor. xii. 9; and in Christ are riches of glorification, 1 Pet. i. 2, 3. But of these glorious unsearchable riches of Christ, we shall speak hereafter.
I shall begin at this time with the first words, ' Unto me who am less than the least of all saints.' There are these two obser\'ations that naturally flow from these words.
Ohs. 1. That the nnost holy men are alicays the most humble men.
None so humble on earth, as those that live highest in heaven.
Or if you will, take the observation thus :
That those that are the most highly valued and esteemed of by God, are lowest and least in their oivn esteem.
' Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints,' &c.
Ohs. 2. The second observation is.
That there are rveak saints as well as strong ; little saints as well as great.
All saints are not of an equal grouih or stature.
I. I shall begin with the first observation, That the m,ost holy men are always the most humble men. Souls that are the most highly esteemed and valued by God, do set the least and lowest esteem upon themselves. ' Unto me who am less than tJie least of all saints,' &c.
In the handling of this point, I shall do these three things :
I. I shall prove that the most holy souls are always the most humble souls.
II. I shall shew you the properties of souls truly humble.
III. I shall shew you the reasons why those that are the most highly prized and esteemed of God, do set so low a price upon themselves.
IV. And then the use.
J. For the first, That this is so, I shall give you most clear proofs, and open them to you.
' Ip»e vnvs eril tihi omnia, quia in ip.'o uno bono, bona stmt omnia : one Christ Trill be to thee insteud fpf all things else, because in him are all good things to be found. — Augustine