The application of redemption

Thou seest and confessest thy person baser than the earth¹ that bears thee, thy mind full of blindness, stupidity,§1 sottish and unteachable; in the things of God, thou hast heard so many able men, enjoyed so many means of conviction and information, and all hath slipped away like water spilt upon a rock, and why should I think that ever I should be convinced or instructed or any light ever set up in this sottish mind of mine.

Thou seest and confessest thy person baser than the earth¹ that bears thee, thy mind ful of blindness, stupidity,§1 sottish and unteachable; in the things of God, thou hast heard so many able men, enjoyed so many means of conviction and information, and al hath slipt away like water spilt upon a rock, and why should I think that ever I should be convinced or instructed or any light ever set up in this sottish mind of mine.

1. 1Object.

True thou hast been taught by men, and man¹ and means have happily done their best, and truly they are nothing, and thou art nothing, and all that they and thou canst do is nothing, yea but they shall all ²be taught of God, says the text. Christ now³ in heaven did more by the Ministry of Peter, than in his bodily presence he did, nay (go further than that) then his bodily presence could do, though he spake as never man spake. No matter how dull thou art if God will teach thee, how weak if God will strengthen thee. Be thy wants what they will be or can be, the all-sufficient God wants neither wisdom nor power nor mercy to do what thou canst need, and he will, for thy good. And his power pitcheth his tent, and taketh pleasure to show it self in weakness. Thou art foolish, God chooseth the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.