* That is, ' wisdom.' — G.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. IV, VER. 7. 875
to US, otherwise we bring reproach upon them, and bring discredit to them in the hearts of carnal men.
The holy apostle, as we have heard, after he had out of the fulness of his apprehension of the divine mysteries of the gospel set it out gloriously, Cometh to avoid imputation of arrogancy, lest he should seem to advance his calling too far. The gospel is indeed a treasure, and the preaching of it is a treasure ; the dispensation of it, being God's ordinance, is a treasure, because it hath a special virtue distinct. But we are but ' earthen vessels' though. The end why God would convey such excellent things as are in the gospel by such poor means, is, that the excellency of the power may bo of God, and not of us.
We have spoken at large of the first part of the verse, wherein we shewed, first of all, that the gospel is a treasure in the dispensation of it, so largely, that I will not now stand to repeat anything then delivered. The ministers are ' vessels,' and ' earthen vessels.'
Now the end is, ' that the excellency of power may be of God, and not of us,' wherein we propounded to speak of these particulars.
1. That there is a power, and an excellency of power, in the gospel, and in the dispensation of it. In divine truths dispensed, there is a power, and excellency of power. This power takes place even of God. It is not of the instrument that conveyeth truths to us, exclusivel}^ set down, and not of us. He strikes off us, because proud men will be ready to touch upon God's prerogative, if he had not an exclusive with it. And therefore he saith, * it is of God, and not of us.' Now, the end of all is, that it may appear to be of God, and not of us. It is so ; but it appears not to be so, unless there \vere such a disproportion between the vessels and the trea- sure. And therefore God would have the vessels that carry it to be earthly, the treasure to be excellent, that as there is a great difference in the reality of the things themselves, so it may appear to be so in regard of man. Non esse, et non apparere ; it is all one ; for if it appear not to be 80, man will not believe it is so. And yet because God will have it appear to be so, therefore is that disproportion between the vessel and the treasure.
Because the point is not perfected, we must add a little.
Now, the power is wrought by degrees ; as in the 14th chapter of Reve- lation, ver. 2, where St John ' heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters,' where heaven is taken for the church, because the church is from heaven, and begotten to heaven. Now, he heard a voice from heaven, ' as the voice of many waters, as the voice of great thunder ; and I heard a voice of harpers, harping with their harps.'
1. The word in the dispensation of it is like 'the voice of many waters;' that is, it is confused, and raiseth a kind of wonder and astonishment, but the people know not why. Take an ignorant man that cometh to hear, and read the word and divine things, he is astonished at it, and filled with a kind of wonderment. So that it is as the noise of many waters to him, Mat. xxii. 22. You have the description of such persons, ' when they heard these words they marvelled, and left him, and went their ways.' Some will hear the word, and if there be any extraordinary parts, or extraordinary actions of a preacher, perhaps they will come and hear, and marvel, and leave him, and go their way. Many come to sermons, and hear, and marvel, and so away.
But the second effect that the word hath, ' it is as the voice of great
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thunder;' that is, whore the word prevaileth a little more, it is as the voice of thunder. Now thunder astonisheth, and brcedeth fear and terror. So they that wonder confusedl}' at lirst hearing, a while they hear as they heard it thunder ; and thei'efore the thunder is called ' the Lord's voice,' Job xxxvii. 4, 5, because it brecdeth fear and terror. So before the great work of conversion, the word, as thunder, tcrrilieth, and afirighteth, and casteth down.
But the word leaveth not the soul there. Therefore, saith he, * I heard the voice of hai'pers harping with their hai'ps ; ' that is, the sweet tune of the gospel. As the sound of the harp is delightful to the ear, so the sweet tune of the gospel breedeth joy and peace to the soul. After thunder Cometh the voice of harpers harping with their harps. So the power of divine truths is first a kind of marvel, confused wonderment, but then it hath the power of thunder and astonishment, then it endeth in the sweet voice of harping, in peace, and joy, and comfort. The Epistle to the Hebrews, 4th chapter, makcth an excellent description of the power of the word in the 12th verse, ' The word is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing and dividing asunder the soul and the spirit, the joints and the marrow, a discerner of the thoughts of the heart.' When the word is let into the soul, it is a discerner. It hath power to discern what is flesh in the word, and what is spirit. And likewise of all actions that proceed from contrary principles, it hath power to tell when we do well, when ill ; what will hold water, what not ; what we may stand to, what not. And not only in actions, but in afflictions also ; and therefore is the ' discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,' Heb. iv. 12 ; and thereupon rippeth up and anatomiseth the whole inward man when the Spirit of God accompanieth it.