DISCOURSE: 1931
THE OBJECTS OF GOD’S CALL
1 Corinthians 1:26-29. Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in his presence.
IT is manifest to the most superficial observer, that the Gospel, wherever it comes, meets with a very different reception from different people; some accounting it foolishness, whilst others regard it as the wisdom of God and the power of God [Note: ver. 23, 24.]. That we must trace this to the dispositions of men, is certain; because the guilt of rejecting the Gospel must lie upon the sinner himself: yet, inasmuch as a love of the truth is not attainable by mere human efforts, we must acknowledge God as the true and only source of that difference which appears. If he did not interpose, all would equally despise the Gospel: it is his grace which makes the distinction, and causes some to overcome the corruptions of their nature, and to accept his proffered salvation.
To unravel this mystery, or at least to throw light upon it, we shall shew,
I. Who are the objects of his choice—
God’s thoughts and ways are not only far above ours, but often directly contrary to ours.
He has not chosen “the wise, the noble, and the mighty”—
[He has not indeed excluded these; for he invites them all; and no more wills the death of them, than he does the death of any others: but he has not chosen them either in preference to the poor, or even in comparison of them. Some there have been in every age, who were possessed of much human wisdom, and power, and wealth. God would not pass by them altogether, lest it should appear as if the possession of earthly wisdom and power were an insurmountable obstacle to the reception of the truth; or lest the embracing of his salvation should be thought incompatible with natural abilities, or intellectual attainments. Among the Corinthians there were Crispus and Sosthenes, chief rulers of the synagogue [Note: Acts 18:8; Acts 18:17]: and Gaius, a man of wealth and of an enlarged heart; and Erastus, the chamberlain of the city [Note: Romans 16:23.]. Some few others were numbered with the disciples: there was Joseph of Arimathea, a rich and honourable counsellor [Note: Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43.]; and Sergius Paulus, a Roman deputy, famed no less for his wisdom than his power [Note: Acts 13:7.]. But if we were to collect the names of all, they would bear no proportion to the numbers of those who composed the Church of Christ. Though therefore there were some, there were “not many” of this description called.]
The objects of his choice are, the weak, the ignoble, the illiterate—
[As we do not say that these are chosen exclusively, so neither do we say that they are chosen universally; for, alas! there are myriads of poor who are as ignorant and depraved as it is possible for any of the rich to be. But the great majority of the Lord’s people are of this description. They have not rank, or learning, or wealth, or great abilities, or any of those things which would recommend them to earthly preferments. This was the case with the first teachers of Christianity: they were, for the most part, poor illiterate fishermen and mechanics. And they who have been their followers have been almost entirely of the middle and lower classes of society. Who are the persons in every town and village who most welcome the preaching of the Gospel? Who are the people that are glad to avail themselves of all the spiritual instruction they can get? Who are they that will be thankful to you for speaking closely to their consciences, and for warning them of their danger? Who are they who will go miles every sabbath to a place where the Gospel is faithfully preached, notwithstanding, when they come thither, they can scarcely be accommodated with a seat whereon to rest? Who are they that love social meetings for reading the word of God and prayer; and that make it their meat and their drink to do the will of God? In short, Who are they that prove their effectual “calling,” by turning “from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God [Note: Acts 26:18.]?” Are these the rich, the great, the learned? or are they the poor and unlearned? Let observation and experience decide the point. “You see your calling, brethren:” look at it, and judge [Note: It is just as in the days of old: Matthew 11:5.John 7:47-48; Mark 12:3.]: We are not afraid to make our appeal to yourselves; for God himself appeals to you; and thereby makes you judges in your own cause [Note: James 2:5.]. We know that these facts give umbrage to many: but however the proud may find in these things an occasion of offence, our blessed Lord saw nothing in them but ground for praise and thanksgiving [Note: Matthew 11:25-26.]
Our subject leads us to notice,
II.
The immediate effect of that choice—
We are told that Noah, in building the ark, “condemned the world [Note: Hebrews 11:7.].” A similar effect is produced by the peculiar mercy vouchsafed to the poor. The great and learned, though “they shame the counsel of the poor [Note: Psalms 14:6.],” yet are ashamed [Note: καταισχύνῃ.] and confounded when they see,
1. Their superior discernment—
[Many of the wise, like the Scribes and Pharisees of old, are conversant with the Holy Scriptures, and extremely well instructed as to the letter of them. From hence they suppose that they must necessarily enter into the spirit of them, and be as superior to others in a comprehension of divine truth, as they are in wealth or talents. But when they come to converse with one who has been “called out of darkness into God’s marvellous light [Note: 1 Peter 2:9.],” they begin to feel their own ignorance, and to wonder at the depth and clearness of the person’s knowledge. They cannot conceive how an unlettered person should attain such just and comprehensive views, which they with all their application have not been able to acquire [Note: Proverbs 28:11.]. They do not reflect on what God has told them, that “the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God;” and that the knowledge of them must be obtained by means of a spiritual discernment [Note: 1 Corinthians 2:14.]. They, through the pride of their hearts, presume to bring divine truths to the bar of their own reason; and thus are led to account them foolishness: but the humble disciple of Jesus willingly receives all that God speaks; and to him “every word is both plain and right [Note: Proverbs 8:9.].” But all this is a mystery to those who are “wise after the flesh,”—a mystery which mortifies their pride, and inflames their wrath [Note: John 9:34.]
2. Their indifference to the world—
[The men of letters and of wealth, instead of rising above the world, are really its greatest slaves. To enjoy its pleasures, its riches, and its honours, is the summit of their ambition. They, on the contrary, who are “chosen of God and called [Note: Revelation 17:14.],” are enabled to renounce the world, and to regard it no more than they would a crucified object, with whom they have no further connexion [Note: Galatians 6:14.]. Now when these persons shew, by their heavenly conversation, that they consider themselves as mere pilgrims and sojourners here, and that “they are looking for a better country, that is, an heavenly [Note: Hebrews 11:13-16.],” the poor slaves of this world cannot comprehend it. They wonder how any should be so indifferent to the things of time and sense, so bold to encounter the frowns and contempt of all around them, and so immoveable in their adherence to such exploded sentiments and conduct. They know that they themselves could not act in such a manner; and they are unable to account for it in others. But if they understood those words, “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith [Note: 1 John 5:4.],” they would cease to wonder; yea, they would rather wonder that the operations of faith were not yet more uniform and extensive.]
3. Their delight in holy exercises—
[The wise, and mighty, and noble will often perform religious duties with a commendable regularity: but they comply with them rather as the institutions and customs of their country, than as exercises in which they find any pleasure, or from which they expect to derive any present benefit. It is far otherwise with the poor, weak, despised followers of Christ: they engage in these employments with delight: they look forward to the returning seasons of devotion with unfeigned joy: and, though they cannot always maintain a spiritual frame in them, yet there is no other employment so pleasing to them, or so productive of permanent satisfaction. Now this also appears strange and unaccountable to them that are yet in their unconverted state: they cannot conceive how it should be, that persons should multiply their seasons of worship, and put themselves to much expense and trouble in attending on them, without any apparent necessity. They can ascribe it to nothing but enthusiasm or hypocrisy. They are constrained however to confess, that, if religion so abstracts the mind from earthly things, and so inclines us to set our affections on things above, their hopes and prospects are “brought to nought.”
Thus as the Gentiles, who were scarcely regarded as having any existence, were made use of by God to bring to nought the Jewish polity, in which all that was valuable was supposed to be contained [Note: This is the meaning of those expressions, “things which are not;” and “things which are.” Compare 2 Esdras 6:56, 57 and the Apocryphal Esther, 4:11. with Romans 4:17.]; so the spirituality of real Christians is yet daily made use of by God to bring to nought the pride of wisdom, the power of greatness, and the fond conceits of pharisaic morality.]
But let us examine yet further—
III.
Its ultimate design—
God, as it becomes him, consults in all things his own glory. In this dispensation more especially,
He has provided, “that no flesh should glory in his presence”—
[It would not become his Majesty to suffer any of his creatures to assume honour to themselves: it is meet and right that all should acknowledge him to be the one source of all their happiness. As he is the Author of their being, they cannot but be indebted to him for all their powers; and as he is the one Restorer of those powers, both by the blood of his Son and the agency of his Spirit, he must have the glory of all which may be wrought by them; none must stand in competition with him; nor must any presume to claim the smallest share of that honour which is due to him alone.]
The dispensation is admirably calculated to insure his end—
[If the wise and noble were called in preference to others, they would infallibly arrogate to themselves, in part at least, the honour of that distinction: they would either think that they had effected the change in themselves by their own power, or that God had had respect to them on account of super-eminent worth. But by the preference given to the poor, all occasion for such boasting is cut off. The rich cannot boast, because they have nothing to boast of. The poor cannot boast, as if God had respected their superior talents; for they feel and know assuredly that they had no such superiority, but directly the reverse. The few rich and wise that are among them cannot boast, because they find that they are few in number, and that the great majority of those who are as wise and great as themselves, have made use of their talents, only to harden themselves in infidelity, and to justify their rejection of the Gospel. Hence they are constrained to confess, that it is “God who has made them to differ [Note: 1 Corinthians 4:7.],” and that “by the grace of God they are what they are [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:10.].”]
Many and important are the lessons which we may learn from hence—
1.
That God acts sovereignly in the disposal of his gifts—
[We should not hesitate, if any one presumed to direct us in the disposal of our own favours, to put this question to him; “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own [Note: Matthew 20:15.]?” Yet we are offended if God assert this liberty, and we think ourselves injured if any be chosen by him in preference to us. But how unreasonable and absurd is this! It is unreasonable, because we have no claim upon him for the smallest benefits. Who imagines that the fallen angels have any ground of complaint against him for withholding a Saviour from them, while he provided one for us? Yet they are a superior order of beings to us, and therefore might have been supposed more worthy of God’s attention. What right then can any of us have to murmur, if he be pleased to impart salvation itself to some and not to others, when none possess the smallest title above their brethren? But it is absurd also: for God will not alter his dispensations because we choose to quarrel with them. That he does act in this sovereign manner we cannot doubt; for he dispenses his temporal favours according to his own will; and sends his Gospel to us, while it is withheld from far the greater part of the world: and he tells us no less than three times in the short compass of our text, that he has “chosen” some in preference to others. Let us not then dare to “reply against God [Note: Romans 9:20.]:” but, while we confess his right to confer his benefits on whomsoever he will [Note: Romans 9:15-18.], let us humbly implore an interest in his favour, and lie as clay in his hands, that he may, for his own glory sake, fashion us as “vessels of honour meet for the Master’s use [Note: Romans 9:21-23.].”]
2. That there is not so much inequality in the Divine dispensations as we are apt to imagine—
[It is certainly God who causes some to be born to ease and affluence, whilst others are born to labour and penury. In a time of health there may not be any great difference between them:—but what is there in a time of sickness! The one has all the comforts of medical aid, of numerous attendants, of delicacies suited to his appetite; whereas the other, in a cold and comfortless habitation, is without food, without fuel, without friends, his wife and children as well as himself almost perishing for want, destitute of every thing proper for his disorder, and subsisting only by the scanty pittance hardly obtained, and grudgingly bestowed by an unfeeling dispenser of the public charity. Compare these; and there appears as wide a difference between them as can well be imagined. But pause a moment: Is this the whole of God’s dispensations towards them? Can we find nothing to counter-balance this inequality? Yes: look to the spiritual concerns of these two persons: perhaps, like Dives and Lazarus, the one has his portion in this life, and the other in the next: perhaps God has said to the one, “Enjoy all that the world can bestow;” to the other, “Enjoy my presence, and the light of my countenance:” to the one, “Be rich in learning, wealth, and honour;” to the other, “Be rich in faith and good works:” to the one, “Possess thou kingdoms for a time;” to the other, “Be thou an heir of my kingdom for evermore.” Now, though this is not God’s invariable mode of dealing with men, (for there are some who are poor in both worlds, and others rich,) yet it accords with the general tenour of his proceedings: it accords also with the text, and therefore is peculiarly proper for our present consideration. Take then the whole of his dispensations together, and it will be found that the spiritual advantages conferred upon the poor are more than an equivalent for any temporal disadvantages they may labour under. Let the rich then not pride themselves on their distinctions [Note: 1 Timothy 6:17.]; for “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for them to enter into the kingdom of heaven [Note: Matthew 19:23-24.]: nor let the poor, on the other hand, be dejected on account of their present troubles; for God has chosen them (if they do not despise their birthright) to be partakers of his richest blessings, even life for evermore [Note: James 2:5.]: but let all, whether rich or poor, seek to have “God himself for the portion of their cup, and for the lot of their inheritance [Note: Psalms 16:5.].”]
3. That they are the wisest people who covet the best gifts—
[It is generally accounted folly to “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness [Note: Matthew 6:33.];” but the time will come when it will appear to have been the truest wisdom. Indeed “the fear of the Lord is the very beginning of wisdom [Note: Psalms 111:10.];” insomuch that all who are not possessed of that, whatever else they may possess, are no better than fools in God’s estimation. Let us not then be deceived by the glare and glitter of the world. Let us view things as God himself views them. Let us confess that it is better to be among “the foolish, the weak, the base, the despised, the mere nonentities of this world,” and attain eternal happiness at the last; than to be among “the wise, the mighty, and the noble,” and to “have our good things in this life only [Note: Luke 16:25.].”
We beg leave however to repeat, that the rich will not be excluded from God’s kingdom, if they do not exclude themselves; nor, on the other hand, will the poor be admitted into it, if they do not “strive to enter in at the strait gate [Note: Luke 13:24.].” Whatever we be in respect of our worldly conditions, we shall be admitted by the Bridegroom, if we be found among the wise virgins [Note: Matthew 25:8-10.]: but “the foolish shall not stand in his sight; for he hateth all the workers of iniquity [Note: Psalms 5:5.].”]