" receiving every thing out of the fuhiess " that is treasured up for him in Christ. Could he have the desire of his soul, he would be " holy as God himself is holy," and " perfect as his Father which is in heaven is perfect." Hence, when he finds in the Gospel every thing that he stands in need of, wisdom for the ignorant, righteousness for the guilty, sanctitication for the polluted, and redemption for the enslaved, he cannot but adore the wisdom that has ordained so mysterious, so effectual, a salvation.]
4. Because these alone give themselves up to the contemplation of it —
[Others " let slip all that they hear," having no wish to treasure it up in their minds. But the truly upright lay up the word in their hearts, (even as Mary did the words of her youth- ful Son ;) yea, and meditate upon it day and night. They resemble in this respect the holy angels, who are represented as bending down upon the ark, and inspecting with all possible care the law contained in it^. No wonder they are instructed; no wonder the veil is taken from their hearts : for God has said, " Then shall ye know, if ye follow on to know the Lord." Hence, then, we see the grounds on which the perfect man admires as " wisdom " what all the world besides regard as folly. Being enabled by God to discern its suitableness, and to experience its sufficiency, he glories in it as the perfection of wisdom, and as a comprehensive summary of all that is good and great.]
Now, as in the text are mentioned the speaker and the hearers — the one delivering with confidence, and the others receiving with submission, the dictates of inspiration — I will, in conclusion, address myself,
1. To those whose office it is, or may hereafter be, to preach the Gospel —
[The Apostle, knowing the Gospel to be the very wisdom of God himself, was extremely careful to deliver it with the utmost simplicity. He was able to preach it " with wisdom of words," and to set it forth with all the powers of language, if he had been so inclined : but he would not do so, " lest he should make the cross of Christ of none effects." He appeals to the Corinthians themselves, that he had " come to them not with excellency of speech or of human wisdom'';" being anxious " that their faith should stand, not in the wisdom of
f 1 Pet. i. 12. e l Cor. i. 17. ^ ver. 1, 4.