would have been the precise idea which the subject called for. But, as no such construction can be put upon it, we are convinced that the version given to it in our translation is right ; and that the Apostle must be understood as going designedly beyond what the occasion called for, and as intending to intimate, not only that he could not convert others by any power of his own, but not even excite any good thought within his own bosom, unless he were strengthened for it from above. He had before said, " Who is sufficient for these things^?" and here he ascribes all his sufficiency, for every part of his mini- stry, to God alone ^
To mark fully the meaning of the Apostle, I will endeavour to shew whence all our sufficiency arises,
I. For the communicating of good to the souls of others —
Whatever force there may be in the reasonings of men, or whatever fascination in their eloquence, it is certain that neither the one nor the other have any power to convert a soul to God —
[Our blessed Lord spake to many, in vain. Though he spake as never xnan spake either before or since, yet did he not convince all his hearers. If " some said, He is a good man; others said, Nay, but he deceiveth the people^." Nor did his miracles produce the same effect on all. The poor man, whose eyes he had opened, argued with the Pharisees in vain, because their minds were not open to conviction : " Herein is a marvellous thing," said he, " that ye know not from whence this Jesus is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Since the world began, was it not heard, that any man opened the eyes of one that was horn blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing." And what was the effect of this reasoning ? It only incensed them the more ; and caused them to pass on the poor man a sentence of excommunication'*. One would have thought that the raising of Lazarus from the grave, after he had been dead four days, should have carried conviction to all : but the chief priests, instead of being duly
e 2Cor. ii. IG.
f See the repetition of the word in in ver. 5, 6. aarot, iKaroTi)^^ iKcu'waev, the force of which is lost in our translation, g John vii. 12. '> John ix. 30—34.
2006.] THE EXTENT OF MAN's IMPOTENCY. 447
influenced by it themselves, sought to put Lazarus to death, in order to obstruct the influence of this miracle on the minds of others \ Thus it was also with the Apostles. When, in consequence of the Holy Spirit being poured out upon them on the day of Pentecost, they were enabled to address persons of different countries, each in their own particular language, some, who beheld this stupendous miracle, only " mocked at it, and said that the Apostles were full of new wine," and in a state of intoxication at nine o'clock in the morning'^. So when Paul pleaded the Saviour's cause before Festus and Agrippa, Festus, who was full of prejudice, cried out, " Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning hath made thee mad :" whilst Agrippa, who was more intelligent and more candid, said, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian'." In fact, truth hath no force with those who have not eyes to see it.]
Whatever good, therefore, is done to any man, it must be ascribed to God alone —
[It was " the Lord who opened the heart of Lydia to attend to the things that were spoken by Paul™ :" and to a want of such a divine operation did he ascribe the obstinacy of the Jews whom he addressed at Rome. After expounding the Scriptures from morning to evening to many of them in vain, he said, " Well spake the Holy Ghost, by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people and say, Hearing, ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing, ye shall see, and not perceive : for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing ; and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them"." So true is that declaration of Solomon, *' The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them°." And most important is this truth for the instruction of all who minister in holy things, that they may know where to look for the success of their labours : for " neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase P."]