1 Corinthians 2

Philippians 1:21. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Saint Paul was a great admirer of Christ, he desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). No julep to the blood of Christ; and in the text, To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain…

2. Christ teaches these sacred mysteries, inwardly, by the Spirit (John 16:13). The world knows not what it is (1 Corinthians 2:14): The natural man receives not the things of God, neither can you know them. He knows not what it is to be transformed by the renewing of the mind (…

2. Great will be our advantage if we love God. God does not court our love that we should lose it (1 Corinthians 2:9): Eye has not seen, nor ear heard the things which God has prepared for them that love him. If you will love God, you shall have such a reward as exceeds your fai…

There is nothing lost by our love to God. [reconstructed: 1 Corinthians 2:9]: Eye has not seen, etc. the things which God has prepared for them [who love him]. Such glorious rewards are laid up for such as love God: That (as Austin says) they do not only transcend our reason, bu…

(Psalm 71:17) O God, you have taught me from my youth. If God be our Father he will give us the teachings of his Spirit: the natural man receives not the things of God, neither can he know them (1 Corinthians 2:14). The natural man may have excellent notions in divinity, but God…

God gives the spring flowers and a crop; he settles upon us such a kingdom as exceeds our faith, Praemium quod Fide non attingitur, Aug. Such as mortal eye has not seen, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive (1 Corinthians 2:9). Alas, what an infinite difference is…

'Tis called Regnum paratum, a Kingdom prepared (Matthew 25:34), which implies something that is rare and excellent. God has prepared in his Kingdom, such things as eye has not seen nor ear heard (1 Corinthians 2:9). Heaven is beyond all hyperbole.

And although it is true that every man, having the power of reflecting upon his own actions, can discern what thoughts are in him and what affections, and can tell for the matter of them what he thinks on and that he is grieved, etc. — but yet so as he may still question whether…

And in this respect that name 'the accuser' is given this evil spirit in a direct and full opposition to that special name and office of the Holy Ghost, 'the Comforter' or pleader for us. Because as the Holy Ghost makes intercession in our own hearts to God for us, and upon true…

Here then we learn, that the third Heaven is like a piece of work, wherein an excellent workman hath spent his art, and showed his skill; that is, that the highest heaven is a most glorious place, and surpasses all other creatures of God in glory and excellency, so far as therei…

As if he had said, I will communicate and impart my secrets unto you, as one friend does unto another, as far as shall be fit for you to know. And the Apostle saith, 1 Corinthians 2:15. A faithful and a holy man discerneth into the deep counsels of God; which are revealed unto t…

They therefore that deny that liberty to Ministers, are too rough and rugged, and pull out of the hand of the Ministers, one of his weapons, and out of the wings of the Scripture one of her feathers. Yet we must know, that all, or any kind of eloquence is not permitted to a Chri…

This apprehension of faith, is not performed by any affection of the will, but by a certain and particular persuasion, whereby a man is resolved that the promise of salvation belongs to him. Which persuasion is wrought in the mind by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 2:12). And by t…

First, he asks of God, the spirit of wisdom, whereby the servants of God are enabled to discern out of the word, in every business which they take in hand, whether it be in word or deed, what ought to be done, and what ought to be left undone: as also the circumstances, the time…

1. A righteous man is more excellent than a wicked, in respect of what he is. 1. He is more richly endued with wisdom; he is of a dexterous sagacity, mixing the serpent's prudence with the dove's innocence (1 Corinthians 2:15). He that is spiritual judges all things: As the soul…

Reason 2. (1 Corinthians 2:14) The natural man does not perceive the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. In these words Saint Paul sets down these points: 1, that a natural man does not s…

2. More particularly, observe, that Jesus Christ, and what concerns Him, the glad and good news of a Saviour, and the reporting of them, is the very proper work of a minister, and the great subject of a minister's preaching; his proper work is to make Him known, or take it thus,…

For the second, the revealing of the arm of the Lord, by this we do not understand the revealing of it objectively as it is brought to light by the preaching of the Gospel, for thus it is revealed to all the hearers of the Gospel, it is in this respect not kept hidden, but broug…

2. In the solid faith of a believer, there is, as a use-making of Christ crucified solely, as the meritorious cause of justification and life, so he is exercised in this to be solely settled on Him as such. As for presumptuous souls, as they find it easy to believe, so they find…

2. Because, though there be not an evidence to reason in all the things which we believe; yet there is a certainty; and faith gets this name, because it makes men certain of these things which it takes up, as if it were a science or knowledge. 3. To distinguish it from all other…

By that able minister of the New Testament, Mr. James Durham, sometime minister of the Gospel at Glasgow, and solemnly called to a public profession of divinity in the University there, and also His Majesty's Chaplain in Ordinary when He was in Scotland. (1 Corinthians 2:2) For…

For though these who truly believe, ought not to doubt of their belief, yet these who have lamps of faith, and no oil, ought to question, whether there be oil in their lamps, or no, and true faith with their profession, else the foolish Virgins were not far out, who never questi…

But yet they are not Christ's who neither know how they are drawn, nor can give any proofs that they are drawn. The Apostle says (1 Corinthians 2:12), Now we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely…

Then he who cannot be blamed in not acting cannot be united as one spirit, person with person, with him who is justly to be blamed in not acting. Assertion 4. It must evidently follow that there is in the saints a grace created that is neither Christ, nor the Holy Ghost in perso…

Thus did the Apostles also in their sermons. So Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians seemed by the matter of his sermon to have known nothing but Christ, and him as crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2), as Christ above all, so Christ as crucified above all in Christ, as suiting their…

But yet there is something more in it than this, in this worship of Christ in our minds: We honor, or worship Christ in our minds, when we make him the chiefest, and esteem nothing more worthy to be known, than to know the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:3). This is life eternal to k…

But if this true picture of Christ be defaced, or in any wise darkened, then follows a confusion of all things. For the natural man cannot judge of the law of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). Here fails the cunning of the Philosophers, of the Canonists, and of all men.

Answer: Whole Christ, God-man, or Man-God, was accursed. For the Lord of life (says Paul) was crucified, and consequently accursed (1 Corinthians 2:8). Yet this limitation must be added, that the curse was not upon the Godhead of Christ, but only in his flesh, or manhood.

For the Scripture says, that God alone searches the heart (1 Kings 8:39). None knows what is in man but God, and the spirit of man (1 Corinthians 2:11). Though Abraham had the sight of God, yet it is said, You are our Father, and Abraham knows us not (Isaiah 64:16).

The third thing to be considered, is, the persons that are to restore their brethren, laid downe in these words, yee that are spirituall. Spiritual men are opposed to carnal, as (1 Corinthians 3:1): I could not speak to you brethren, as to spiritual men, but as to carnal: and to…

Contrariwise, God deals forth his benefits of all sorts liberally to those that serve him. It seems Saint Paul expounds this place otherwise, Objection. (1 Corinthians 2:9), and applies it to another sense. Indeed, he cites it in other terms: because he followed the Greek transl…

But this too was a part of the "emptying of himself," (Philippians 2:6:) not that any part of Christ’s glory should be taken away by it, but that it should lie in concealment for a time. Again, as Paul reminds us, that the gospel is mean according to the flesh, "that our faith s…

They had a right to inquire on what grounds Christ laid claim to such authority: but, without any inquiry, they suppose him to be one of the common rank of men, and proceed rashly to condemn him. 4. And when Jesus saw their thoughts He now gives a proof of his Divinity in bringi…

In the choice of Matthew out of that place, not only to be admitted into the family of Christ, but even to be called to the office of Apostle, we have a striking instance of the grace of God. It was the intention of Christ to choose simple and ignorant persons to that rank, in o…

I therefore so run, as not uncertainly. And to add no more, it is manifest, that Christians knowing their interests in the saving benefits of Christianity is a thing ordinarily attainable, because the Apostles tell us by what means Christians (and not only apostles and martyrs)…

This is evident because those who are spiritual are set in opposition to natural men, and carnal men. Thus the spiritual man, and the natural man, are set in opposition one to another; 1 Corinthians 2:14, 15. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for the…

This Scripture must be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the Mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas. Omniscience; 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Corruption or Depravation of the Mind by Sin. CHAP. III. (1.) Contempt and Corruption of the Doctrine of Regeneration. (2.) All Men in the World Regenerate or Unregenerate. (3.) General Description of Corrupted Nature. (4, 5.) Depravation of the Mind. (6.) Darkness upon it. (7.)…

It is of the things of the Spirit of God, yea it is the principal effect of all his Operations in us and towards us. And these things of God knowes no man but the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2. 11. It is by him alone that we are enabled to know the things that are freely given to us o…

The knowledge of Christ was a hidden treasure for some thousands of years; the Apostle in his time calls it, the mystery which was kept secret since the world began (Romans 16:25). Again he calls it, the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained befor…

And this is revealed from the faith of God in the promise, to the faith of the believer; to him that mixes the promise with faith. And again more fully, 1 Corinthians 2:9. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God has prepare…

By eyes also the affections are set forth, because the affection sets the eye on work to look here or there (hence is the phrase of a single and evil eye, Matthew 6:21, 23), and because it's some way the seat of these, and somewhat of love or hatred will be, and may be gathered…

2. A power and efficacy in the word, that somewhat affects the heart, and moves it. 3. It implies some effect it has upon the heart, as being somewhat affected with that touch; Therefore it's his voice or word that not only calls, but knocks, implying some force it had upon her:…

What rare and excellent parts had the Scribes and Pharisees? Who upon that account were styled principes seculi, the princes of the world (1 Corinthians 2:8). What profound and excellent parts had the heathen sages and philosophers?

The mercy he begged of God for them, was the greatest mercy, that which he was then dying to purchase and procure, the pardon of their sins; not only, Father spare them, or reprieve them, but, Father forgive them; the excuse he pleaded for them, was the best their crime was capa…

Our Lord Jesus was therefore despised and hated by the world, because the world knew him not (John 1:10). If they had known the dignity of his person, the excellency of his doctrine, and the gracious design and purpose of his coming into the world, certainly they would not have…

The men of the world think themselves wise men, and bless themselves in their wisdom, because they can order and dispose of means to get money and fine cloaths; they are poor, and base, and low spirits, who mind and regard no higher, and no better things then these base things t…

Lastly, a spiritual eye looks upon Gods people as precious, notwithstanding all outward meanness, because it looks upon them as in their ends, though they are now incomparably above all that is in the world besides, yet their glorious end raises their worth exceeding high, and a…

The Scripture speaks of the familiar converse that God has with his people here, that they are called friends: Abraham was called The friend of God, and the Disciples were called friends, but hereafter the friendship shall be much more full and sweet; Job shall have his desire,…

But yet there is that which Paul is astonished at — which he calls the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God (Romans 11:33) — that is only hidden in and revealed by Christ. Hence as Christ is said to be the wisdom of God and to be made wisdom to us, so the desig…