bringyoutoa Knowledgeofandan Acquaintance with Jeſus Chriſt; called a Demenſtration, which properly is a proof in which tht
'$ this was my end, and the means I uſed were proportionable to it. 18, 3 And*1 was with you * in weakneb, and in fear ,
: Cor. and in muchtrembling.
« Either in a weakneſs of Stile; I uſed a plain, low, intelligible
& Ig 5.9. Stile, ſtudying rather to be anderſtoed by all, than admired by Gal.4. 13. any. Or,in weakneſs of ſtate , in a mean and low Condition ; for
we read, As 18. 3. that he wrought with bis Hands at Cori»th. So Atts 20. 34. Or it may bein 4 weak ſtare of Body ; or it may be he means humbleneſs of Mind and Modeſty, which to worldly Eyes look like a weakneſs of Mind : ard in much fear and trembling , either withreſpe& to the Jews, and the danger he was ex ſed ro from them, or with reſpeCt to the greatneſs of his work , leſt chey ſhould refuſe the Grace of the Goſpel, by him brought and offered to them, ſo as ( faith he) you might ſee that all the work was God's, I but apoor Inſtrmment , contemptible with reſpeU to m outward quality, appearing poor and mean in my Phraſe and Stile, and whole behaviour amongſt you.
'2Pet.1. 4 And my ſpeech and my preaching d was not * with. : [| incicing words of man's wiſdom .*. , but in demonſtra- | 5 That your faith ſhould not -þ ſtand in the wildo
*7- tion of the Spirit e, and with power f.
16.
4 Either here Pas ſpeech and preaching ſignifieth the ſame thing | £ Faith properly ſignifieth our aſſent to a ching £
( expreſſed by two words ) or elle ſpeech referreth to his more pri- vate conferences anddiſcourſes with them, and preaching ſignifi- eth the more publick a&s of his Miniſtry, neither of them was,
Mind fully acquieſceth, ſo that ir no longer denieth, or diſputett the thing ſo proved, bur gives a ficm and full aſſent co ir: The Mi racles wrought by Chriſt himſelf never had that effe& : the Pharts ſees and the generality of the Jews believed not chat Chriſt wastle true Meſſiah and the Semnof God, notwithſtanding his Miracles. Nc thing but the inward powerful impreſſionof the Spirit of Godpet ſwading the heart of the truth of Goſpel-Principles, can poſſv) , amount to a demonſtration, bringing the Minds of Men, chough ne ver ſo judicious and prepared, to a certainty of the thing 1evea ed, and a reſt, ſoas it can no longer deny, reſiſt, diſpute or col tradift it. With this Pou/'s preaching was attended, nor to cv* Individual perſon to whom he preached, but to many, even as m1 ny as ſhould be ſaved: He delivered the Dorine of the Golps freely, plainly, and boldly ; not reſting upon the torce of his R torick and perſwaſive Words, nor yet to che natural force of
Y , reaſoning and argumentation ; but leaving the demonſtration,
evidencing of the truth of what he ſaid to the powerful inter \ impreſſion and perſwaſion of the holy and bleſſed Spirit of G0 who worketh powerfully.
|of men, but * in the power of God g. W
hat 18 toid and becauſe it is told us. If the Revelation be from Man, : no more than a humane Faith. If it be from God, and we belit the thing, becauſe God hath revealed it to us, this 15 3 Devine if
-. with the perſwafive or mticing Words of Man's Wiſdom. What | So as indeed it is impoſlible that a Divine Faith ſhould reſt 1n theſe p:r[waſive words of Man's Wiſdom are, will quickly appear Wiſdom of Men. If we could make Goſpel Propoſitions o_
to any that conliders there are bur two humane Arts that pretend
f Realor
che outward Senſes, or evident to ſuch Principles 0 wy make 1
to any thing of perſwading, Rhetorick and Logick, ot the Art of | are connatural to us, or upon ſuch Concluſions, 85 We : Reaſoning. Rhetorick perſwadeth more weakly, working more up- | on ſuch Principles, yet no aſſent of this Nature cou 4 be on the affections than upon the underſtanding and judgment. Lo. | which is an affent given to a Divine Revelation, purely Y*:
zick, or the Art of Reaſoning more ſtrongly, working upon the
1nderitanding and judgment, and teaching Men to ccnclude from
. i of ſuch Revelation. An afeze other ways giveit may F - " Demonſtration, or rational Demonſtration, or Knowledge ©
ef & = FF 7 RR CO IF;
> =.
Chap
thing wys ordsang pel Pripe. Ouzhr we 1h" Wii. 5 Miſty; of Wir 0 Þ!7/waye d May by dzed then IS muck ag araſes 104 e ordinary yet for the V. 4. holds Faich and Q. Ougir er Tow, ' NO Meang, udy Wark, ther to ſhy, ©ba ſequa. t of ording, hings tot, eople may 11 otherſty. uty. 3, Wa works twg lt to ſtudy Principle; of ur not fron clude, Thr ccording tg andagunk \ pravatimtg latural Rex nd confirm her thing to | Conclulion, words intel. ſon enough, If any proofy his Goſpel hich Gratiw, DoQtrine of many others | inward per. preached by Goſpel-truth ſtrates them, | ofthe Truth or withſtand rm allo ſome ich better by fGod preach- 11] hath, upon 1s faid, Matt, And it is fail wiſdom and the Pan came to ower, and tit | powerful, and ding aſunder of 114 diſceme Andthus ew h along inthe ;0n of the Spivit, y which Chiil » of the Goſpel, ety of Speech, ' 1n which the 1, or diſpute) co it: The Mi & : the Pharts Chriſt wasthe Miracles. Nc icit of Godpet 'S, Can poill l len, though 06 he thing 16ve1 diſpute or col ed, not to £ve ny, even as c " the Goſpt orce of his RA ural force of nonſtration,? werful inter | Spirit of 6x
n the wilde
; that 3s rold1 from Man, " | and we beli js a Divine F# nould reſt 11 1t10nNS CV! = of Realo
as we make *
could be ff , purely þeca 2 may be ſen nowledge
up. IL. LCORINTUHIANS.
but Divine Faith it cannot be, that mult be bottomed in the | vident 7007 of the Diery of the holy Spirir, his ſexrehiiny the deer
i6 9the world, unto our glory 2,
6, | We preach the Goſpe}, where the +iz/htcouſneſs in which alone . oth > I a Rar I men can another day appear, and be accepted before God, is re- | Words which matis v :idom teacheth, out which tity :
vealed from Faith to Faith. Itis indecd a ſacred Secret, a Myſtery to Holy Gholt teacherth x , comparing ſpiritua! ebinoc*
Il
! J)
«nt: 9 for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, yea the deep ngs of God r. ſtanding upon a Divine Revelation. 6 For men of wit and r7e2!un
01:
=_
. Py 7 a - "n ” y ' ; Fe of che Goſpel then this, wiz. to call men to believe, and ſo | they {hall acknowledge, comprehend, and believe them,