Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Corinthians 2:4

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdom , but in demonstration of the Spirit , and with power .

Either here Pauls speech and preaching signifieth the same thing (expressed by two words) or else speech referreth to his more private conferences and discourses with them, and preaching signifieth the more publick acts of his Ministry, neither of them was,

with the perswasive or inticing words of mans wisdom. What these perswasive words of mans wisdom are, will quickly appear to any that considers there are but two humane Arts that pretend to any thing of perswading, Rhetorick and Logick, or the Art of Reasoning. Rhetorick perswadeth more weakly, working more upon the affections, than upon the understanding and judgment. Logick, or the Art of Reasoning, more strongly working upon the understanding and judgment, and teaching men to conclude from connate natural Principles. Now saith Paul, my preaching was neither of these ways, I neither studied neat and fine words and phrases, nor did I make it my work to demonstrate Gospel-Propositions to you from Principles of natural Reason. Object. Ought not then Ministers now to use such words? Answ. A learned Popish Writer saith, That at that time it was the will of God, that his Ministers should use plain speech; but it is otherwise now, the using of words studiously composed and ordered, being now the ordinary way to perswade others. But after this rate any thing of the Will of God may be evaded, it is but saying, that it was the will of God indeed then, but not now. But 2. The thing is false. It was then as much as now the ordinary way of perswading to use Rhetorical phrases and rational demonstrations. 3. Although now this be the ordinary method of perswading men of learning and capacities, yet for the generality of people it is not so. 4. The Apostles reason, v. 4. holds now as much as ever. It is the way to make Christians Faith stand in the wisdom of men, not in the power of God. Object. Ought then Ministers to use no study, but talk whatever comes at their tongues end, and to use no reason to prove what they say? Answ. By no means. 1. It is one thing to study matter, another thing to study words. 2. Nay it is one thing to study a decency in words, another to study a gawdry of phrase. It is an old and true saying, Verba sequuntur res, Words will follow matter, if the Preacher be but of ordinary parts. In the study of words we have but two things to attend: 1. That we speak intelligibly, so as all the people may understand. 2. That we speak gravely and decently; all other study of words and phrases in a Divine is but folly and vanity. 3. We ought to use our reason in our preaching, but reason works two ways. 1. Either making conclusions from natural and philosophical Principles: or, 2. From scriptural Principles. We ought to study to conclude as strongly as we can what we say from Principles of Revelation, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, but not from all natural and philosophical Principles; for so we shall conclude, There is no Trinity in the Vnity of the Divine Being, because according to natural Principles, three cannot be one, nor one three: and against the Resurrection, because there can be no regress from a privation to an habit, &c. 4. Again, it is one thing to use our natural reason, ex abundanti, as an auxiliary help to illustrate and confirm what is first confirmed by Divine Revelation: another thing to use it as a foundation upon which we build a spiritual conclusion, or as the main proof of it. Pauls preaching was in words intelligible to his Hearers, and decent though, and with reason enough, but not concluding upon natural Principles, nor making any proofs of that Nature the foundation upon which he built his Gospel conclusions.

But in demonstration of the Spirit. By which Grotius, and some others, understand Miracles, by which the Doctrine of the Gospel was at first confirmed; but Vorstius and many others better, understand by it the Holy Ghost's powerful and inward perswasion of mens minds, of the truth of what was preached by Paul. All Ministers preaching makes Propositions of Gospel-truth appear no more than probable, the Spirit only demonstrates them, working in Souls such a perswasion and confirmation of the truth of them, as the Soul can no longer deny or dispute, nor withstand the conviction of them.

And with power. By this term also some understand the power of working Miracles; but it is much better by others interpreted of that Authority, which the Word of God preached by Paul had, and preached by faithful Ministers still hath, upon the Souls and Consciences of those that hear it. As it is said, Matt. 7.29. Christ taught them as one that had authority. And it is said of Stephen, Acts 6.10. They were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. So the Gospel preached by Paul came to people, 1 Thess. 1.5. Not in word only, but also in power, and the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance: and was quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12. And thus every faithful Minister, with whose labours God goeth along in the conversion of Souls, yet preacheth in the demonstration of the Spirit, and with power. Nor indeed can those Miracles, by which Christ and his Apostles confirmed the truth of the Doctrine of the Gospel, though they were a mighty proof, be in any propriety of speech, called a Demonstration, which properly is a proof in which the mind fully acquiesceth; so that it no longer denieth, or disputeth the thing so proved, but gives a firm and full assent to it: the Miracles wrought by Christ himself never had that effect: the Pharisees and the generality of the Jews believed not that Christ was the true Messiah and the Son of God, notwithstanding his Miracles. Nothing but the inward powerful impression of the Spirit of God perswading the heart of the truth of Gospel-Principles, can possibly amount to a demonstration, bringing the minds of men, though never so judicious and prepared, to a certainty of the thing revealed, and a rest, so as it can no longer deny, resist, dispute or contradict it, with this Pauls preaching was attended, not to every individual person to whom he preached, but to many, even as many as should be saved: he delivered the Doctrine of the Gospel freely, plainly, and boldly, not resting upon the force of his Rhetorick and perswasive words, nor yet to the natural force of his reasoning and argumentation; but leaving the demonstration, and evidencing of the truth of what he said to the powerful internal impression and perswasion of the holy and blessed Spirit of God, who worketh powerfully.

Marginal references: 2 [illegible: 1 word]; Or, [illegible: 1 word].