Attributes of God - Charnock - XXXIII - Chapter 10 (God's power) continued

Required reading
Attributes of God by Charnock (Available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Continue Chapter 10 (A discourse upon the power of God) by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'IV. Uses. Of information and instruction.'

My summary
Today we finish Charnock's third main point: 'how the power of God appears in creation, in government, in redemption.'  Last week we saw God's power in creation and government.  This week we look at his power in redemption.

Firstly God's power appears in the person redeeming.  Particularly in:
(i) his conception;
(ii) the union of the two natures, the divine and human;
(iii) the progress of his life;
(iv) his resurrection.

Secondly God's power appears in the publication and propagation of the doctrine of redemption.  This is seen in:
(i) the nature of the doctrine;
(ii) the instruments employed in it;
(iii) the means they used to propagate it;
(iv) the success they had under all these difficulties.

Thirdly God's power appears in the application of redemption.  Namely in:
(i) the planting grace;
(ii) the pardon of sin;
(iii) the preserving grace.

What grabbed me
I liked the point about God's power being shown in who he uses to propagate his gospel: '2. Divine power appeared in the instruments employed for the publishing and propagating the gospel; who were (1.) Mean and worthless in themselves: not noble and dignified with an earthly grandeur, but of a low condition, meanly bred: so far from any splendid estates, that they possessed nothing but their nets; without any credit and reputation in the world; without comeliness and strength; as unfit to subdue the world by preaching, as an army of hares were to conquer it by war: not learned doctors, bred up at the feet of the famous Rabbins at Jerusalem, whom Paul calls ' the princes of the world' (1 Cor. ii. 8); nor nursed up in the school of Athens, under the philosophers and orators of the time: not the wise men of Greece, but the fishermen of Galilee; naturally skilled in no language but their own, and no more exact in that than those of the same condition in any other nation: ignorant of every thing but the language of their lakes, and their fishing trade; except Paul, called some time after the rest to that employment: and after the descent of the Spirit, they were ignorant and unlearned in every thing but the doctrine they were commanded to publish; for the council, before whom they were summoned, proved them to be so, which increased their wonder at them (Acts iv. 13). Had it been published by a voice from heaven, that twelve poor men, taken out of boats and creeks, without any help of learning, should conquer the world to the cross, it might have been thought an illusion against all the reason of men; yet we know it was undertaken and accomplished by them. They published this doctrine in Jerusalem, and quickly spread it over the greatest part of the world. Folly outwitted wisdom, and weakness overpowered strength. The conquest of the cast by Alexander was not so admirable as the enterprise of these poor men. He attempted his conquest with the hands of a warlike nation, though, indeed, but a small number of thirty thousand against multitudes, many hundred thousands of the enemies; yet an effeminate enemy; a people inured to slaughter and victory attacked great numbers, but enfeebled by luxury and voluptuousness. Besides, he was bred up to such enterprises, had a learned education under the best philosopher, and a military education under the best commander, and a natural courage to animate him. These instruments had no such advantage from nature; the heavenly treasure was placed in those earthen vessels, as Gideon's lamps in empty pitchers (Judges vii. 16), that the excellency, or hyperbole, of the power, might be of God (2 Cor. iv. 7), and the strength of his arm be displayed in the infirmity of the instruments. They were destitute of earthly wisdom, and therefore despised by the Jews, and derided by the Gentiles; the publishers were accounted madmen, and the embracers fools. Had they been men of known natural endowments, the power of God had been veiled under the gifts of the creature.'

And it is still the case today.  I am always humbled that God should use someone like myself to propagate his precious gospel.

Next week's reading
Conclude Chapter 10 (A discourse upon the power of God).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.