Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 12 · Sermon 106
SERMON CVI.
Reaſons why God paſſeth by Humane VViſdom, with the Difference between it and true ſpiritual Wiſdom; Alſo the Commendation of Humane Learning, and how neceſſary it is for a Miniſter.
1 COR. 1. 26.
Not many wiſe men after the fleſh.
THis Text hath diſcovered two ſorts of wiſe men, The wiſe man after the Spirit, and The wiſe man after the fleſh; as alſo, Gods determination about the later, which is full of admiration and terror. He hath not choſen many wiſe men after the fleſh. The characters of carnal wiſe men, you heard the laſt day. I ſhall conclude the firſt ſubject here enumerated at this time, and that which remaineth to be conſidered in the firſt place is, What are the Reaſons why God paſſeth by this humane wiſdom, and makes no account of it, Would it not have made much for the honour of the Goſpel? Would it not have been a greater credit and ornament to Religion, to ſee all the great wiſe men of the world, to have done like the wiſe men of the Eaſt that came to adore Chriſt, though lying in a ſtable? Is not this Hiſtory famous, that wiſe men ſhould come ſo farre, and bring their external oblations, and teſtimonies of high reſpect to Chriſt, in that mean and contemptible way, and that in danger of their lives by Herod? In outward judgement theſe might have been called, The fools of the Eaſt, rather then the wiſe men. This did wonderfully celebrate the name of Chriſt; and may not a man ſay, If God would thus affect all the wiſe men in the world, would not godlineſſe and religion be freed from thoſe blemiſhes and ſcandals that have been and ſtill are upon it? They are the ſimple and more fooliſh ſort of people, that ſet themſelves to the power of religion: None of the ſubtil profound and wiſe men of the world will venture too farre this way. This I confeſſe is a very plauſible pretence, and might have deceived many, did not one example of our Saviour wonderfully confound ſuch objections, where you may ſee him wonderfully affected with this divine diſpenſation, his heart is greatly moved with it; I thank thee, O Father, that thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe, and haſt revealed them to babes, Mat. 11. 25. The Text ſaith, he made this confeſſion in a publike and ſolemn manner by way of thankſgiving unto God. So then, if this riddle of Gods diſpenſation be unfolded by Scripture-direction, we ſhall ſee matter of great praiſe and joy, not muttering or repining at Gods providence. And in this way of God there may be reaſon on Gods part, why he rejects ſuch; and reaſons on the carnal wiſe mans part, why he is refuſed.
And for the firſt, One eminent and viſible reaſon, why God lets not the deſtroying 1.Sword, as to the Iſraelite, but the Scepter of Grace paſſe over this wiſe man, is to teach us that humane wiſdom hath no merit or cauſality, yea hath no diſpoſition or preparation to the enjoyment of Chriſt. For when we ſee God ſo ordering it, That not many wiſe, not many prudent and ſubtil men are advanced to this crown of glory, all the world ſeeth it, That it is not humane wiſdom or prudence, but the meer grace of God that makes the difference. The Apoſtle doth often inform thoſe that were converted, That it was not for any works they had done, but by grace onelyonly: So then, God who aimeth at his glory in all things, that every mouth might be ſtopped, that no man might ſay, I had a better underſtanding, I had a quicker inſight then others, therefore God choſe me, he takes ſuch as are Babes and fooliſh comparatively, and beſtows immortality and glory on them. Had the wiſe men of the world been called, then Achitophel, Whoſe counſels, were as the oracles of God had not been refuſed. The Heathens many of them gave a large teſtimony of their great wiſdom; yet none of the Platoes, the Ariſtotles, the Tullies of the world did God make uſe of; but Piſcatoria ſimplicitas, the mean things of the world were the fitteſt way for God to make his own greatneſſe known; and hence it is that by ſad experience we ſee men of the quickeſt parts, the nimbleſt wits, the moſt conſtant memories, yet to be the furtheſt off from the Kingdom of heaven. Its Gods way, he alone will have the glory, and to him only it doth appertain, and therefore he takes not thoſe who may plead any internal worth in themſelves.
Secondly, God will hereby teach us; that he doth more regard the leaſt degree of a 2.true humble and ſaving knowledge of him, then he doth all the humane wiſdom in the world. That as the Scripture cals that tongue, Iſa. 50. 4. The tongue of the learned in the Preacher, who is able to ſpeak a word of comfort in due ſeaſon to a contrite broken heart for ſinne; So that man is a wiſe knowing man, who hath the fear of God in his heart, and thereby departs from all evil; and indeed as in beaſts, that is their proper wiſe inſtinct they have; whereby they are able to avoid that which is evil and hurtful to them; ſo in man, that is his proper wiſdom to avoid that which is his greateſt evil. Now the greateſt evil of a man, as a man, is ſinne. For he being made rational and after the image of God, and for that glorious end of eternal happineſſe, that is his proper evil which depriveth him of this, and onelyonly ſin doth that: Oh conſider then thou art wiſe, when thou canſt refuſe all thoſe ſins that do ſo eaſily beſet thee! Thou canſt cry out, as they did of the deadly herb in the pot; This is death, yea this is damnation. Obſerve what is that which makes a man approved of by God, it is not his great wiſdom, his great learning, but a practical knowledge of himſelf and of Chriſt. Ariſtotle ſaid concerning the natural knowledge of the heavens in their nature and motions, that a little knowledge that way is greater then much knowledge of the ſublunary things, but certainly the practical knowledge of heavenly things is farre more neceſſary then the ſpeculative knowledge of all Arts and Sciences. Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he knoweth God. Do not then boaſt thy ſelf either of outward greatneſſe or inward excellencies of the minde, for thou art not to be compared to the meaneſt perſon in the world, how contemptible ſoever, that doth in a ſaving manner know God: This is eternal life to know God, Joh. 17. 3. You cannot ſay, wiſdom, honour, riches are eternal life.
Well, as theſe may be reaſons on Gods part, ſo if you conſider the earthly wiſe Reaſons on mans part.man, There is more hope of a fool then of him; His wiſdom is like a Sword in a mad mans hand, his wiſdom is the continual offenſive weapon that he lifts up againſt God. For
Firſt, A man of carnal wiſdom is depraved and defiled there where the firſt motions 1.of converſion ſhould ſhew themſelves, and that is in the underſtanding. Light is firſt made by God in the new Creature, as it was in the old creature of the world: Now, ſaith our Saviour, If a mans eye be dark, the whole body is darkneſſe, Mat. 6. 23. Were it not then that thou art ſo wounded in thy minde, that it is ſo fleſhly and ſo corrupt, there were greater hopes of thy Salvation. So then, how neceſſarily muſt this wiſe man periſh, whoſe whole wiſdom and underſtanding is only to damn himſelf! His wiſdom is againſt God, all his arguments, all his reaſonings they are againſt his own ſoul, againſt that way of godlineſſe, in which onelyonly he can be happy. Aquinas obſerveth, That faith is more difficult in a learned man then in another that is more ignorant, becauſe the learned man knoweth more objections againſt the truth, is able to raiſe ſuch arguments, he doth not wel know to ſolve again; and this is much more true in a carnal wiſe man: Oh the many cavils, froward objections, ſubtil reaſonings that he hath to put off the commands of God! This right eye then muſt be pulled out ere thou wilt walk in Gods way.
2. No marvel if God refuſe ſuch, for they are his greateſt enemies. They oppoſe his 2.glory, the kingdom of Chriſt, & his people; and howſoever God indeed doth ſometimes lead Captivity captive, and triumph over his enemies, by changing their hearts; yet there are others whom he doth oppoſe, and cruſheth into pieces; and thus commonly God doth with wiſe men of the world, The Lord knoweth that their thoughts are but vain: He catcheth the crafty in their own thoughts: He will deſtroy the wiſdom of the wiſe, 1 Cor. 3. So then no wonder if God paſſe by ſuch men, for there are no greater enemies in the world to him then ſuch. The Apoſtle Jam. 3. giveth three properties of this carnal wiſdom, Its earthly ſenſual, deviliſh, It hath all the wickednes of men and devils in it. Its earthly, that is, wholly intent to get all earthly advantages, whatſoever is profitable and great in this world, that this wiſdom reacheth after. Then its ſenſual, deſtitute of the Spirit of God, as Jude argues it, being wholly fixed upon the luſts and pleaſures of ſin.
Laſtly, Its deviliſh; as godly wiſdom is a beam of the divine Light; ſo this carnal wiſdom is part of that deviliſh wiſdom that is in the Devil. The Devil he 3.is called foreign becauſe of his knowledge. So that you ſee, the more knowledge, the more underſtanding a man hath, if not ſanctified, the more deviliſh he is, the nearer he comes to a devil. So that as the devil is called the red Dragon for his ſubtilty and cruelty againſt the ſheep of Chriſt, Thus you have many carnal wiſe men, Dragons rather then men; So violent and bitter are they againſt all the wayes of holineſſe.
In the next place let us conſider an Objection, for this Doubt may ariſe, If God reject wiſe men after the fleſh, Doth not this condemn all humane wiſdom? How Object.can any man in any prudent and diſcreet way manage his affairs, eſpecially in evil and dangerous dayes, if no prudence be allowed? Yea doth not our Saviour, though he command all ſpiritual fortitude and courage, all ſelf-denial and readineſſe to take up the croſle, all integrity of aims and ends, yet withall he bids us, Be wiſe as Serpents, Mat. 10. 16. and commands us to beware of men, Mat. 10. 7. Did not Chriſt himſelf when his adverſaries came with captious queſtions, as in that about paying tribute to Caeſar, Mat. 22. wiſely prevent their enſnaring of him; and ſo Paul, though as ready to lay down his life for Chriſt, as men are their cloaths when they go to reſt, yet in thoſe troubles he had about his enemies, he diſcovered much civil prudence, did by his wiſe carriage put his adverſaries to it, that they were often fruſtrated, and Paul both kept his innocency, and yet ſaved himſelf.
To anſwer this, It cannot be denied but that diſcretion and civil prudence is Anſw.an excellent gift of God; and to have zeal but not knowledge and wiſdom is to have ſtrong legs, or body, as Samſon had, but no eyes. The men of Iſſachar had this great commendation, That they were wiſe men, and knew the times and ſeaſons, and what was fit to be done. And certainly prudence (though there be a danger of it, leſt it ſhould degenerate into craft and carnal policy) yet of it ſelf it is an excellent grace and ornament to Religion; It preſerveth godlineſſe from that contempt and ſcorn it is apt to receive in the world; In a mans ſufferings its the great comfort, that its not for my raſhneſſe, for my unadviſedneſſe, my buſie ſinful medling, but for a juſt and neceſſary duty I ſuffer. How then may the wiſdom of the fleſh that is ſinful be diſtinguiſhed from lawful and commendable The dif… b… … wiſ… …n… … …n prudence. 1.prudence?
And the firſt palpable difference is this, Lawful prudence is alwayes accompanied with integrity and innocency; but carnal policy hath hypocriſie, guile and guilt with it. Let a man be as wiſe as he can be, only let him commit no ſinne, let him not play the hypocrite, let him not violate his conſcience. Thus our Saviour giveth that excellent rule, Be wiſe as Serpents, be innocent as Doves, Mat. 10. 16. If thou haſt much of the Serpent in thee, but none of the Dove, thou haſt none of this commendable wiſdom; Let not the Serpent eat up the Dove: Oh but where is this happy bounding of prudence and integrity! Many men have not only the prudence of the Serpent, but the poiſon of the Serpent alſo. Never then think that is any lawful wiſdom which runneth thee into a ſin. Its as if a man to prevent a diſeaſe ſhould eat a great deal of poiſon. The loſing of thy integrity, thy innocency or peace of conſcience, is a greater folly then any acts of thy prudence will commend thee for wiſdom. So farre therefore as prudence can finde out a way to eſcape, and yet keep integrity, this man doth hit the mark, and is like thoſe skilful Benjamites that could ſhoot to hit a very hair.
2. Lawful true prudence hath for its end the glory of God, the promoting of his 2.truth, the advancing of Christ; but now fleſhly wiſdom hath no other end, but ſelfpreſervation, ſelf-advancing. We read of Paul, who did ſo wiſely carry himſelf that he could without any ſin or hypocriſie become all things to all men; But what was his great end? it was to gain ſome: It was not to make his advantages of them, but Chriſts. And thus in another place he ſaith, He had caught them by guile, 2 Cor. 12. 16. But how? Not for himſelf but for Chriſt. So that all the prudence Paul uſed in the preaching of the Miniſtery to preſerve his liberty, and to ſave his own life, was only to further the Goſpel, and to propagate the truths of Chriſt, That the Church of God might receive no detriment, thy ends will abundantly diſtinguiſh what kinde of wiſdom it is thou haſt. If a carnal earthly wiſdom, thou mattereſt not Gods glory, not his truth, not his worſhip, but thy own ſafety; whereas godly prudence regards this moſt, and ſaith of the truth of God and his glory, as they did to David, Thou art better then ten thouſand of us, thou ſhalt not go into danger; and by this it appeareth, that only a godly man is wiſe, for he only can propound ſuch divine and publick ends to himſelf.
3. Carnal wiſdom is only the ability and enlarging of the intellective parts of a 3.man. His judgement, his invention, his memory; but then for the heart, the will and affections, they remain wholly in ſin, ſo that ſuch men have no inclination, no delight in any thing but what is evil. But now godly prudence is accompanied with the ſanctification of the heart and affections, they are made obedient and flexible to God, they are ſet upon no earthly thing beyond the bounds God hath preſcribed, and this is a main difference; for according to ſome Philoſophers opinion, and the Scripture ſeemeth to incline that way, The heart is the ſeat of all wiſdom, Cor ſapit, pulmo loquitur, is the old ſaying. So that if the heart be carnal and polluted, then the wiſdom thereof is ſo; and commonly the corrupt will and affections bribe and defile the underſtanding; ſo that we may ſay in fleſhly wiſdom the heart and affections they are corrupted, and then they corrupt the underſtanding, that whereas the underſtanding ſhould go before them, they go before the underſtanding, and it is with ſuch a man, as Copernicus ſaith it is in the great world, the earth moveth, and the Sun ſtands ſtill, ſo their earthly affections they move, they work, they do all, and their reaſon or wiſdom ſtands ſtill, not directing at all; but godly prudence that ſanctifieth a mans will and affections, it beginneth in the head, and ſo deſcends to the heart, I pray God ye be ſanctified in ſpirit, ſoul and body; It beginneth firſt in that which is moſt ſublime and intellectual in a man. So then fleſhly wiſdom is like a Glow-worm upon a dunghil, there is ſome luſtre, but on a noiſom dunghil; they have parts, abilities, but like a jewel in a Swines ſnout; whereas this wiſdom is ſaid to be firſt pure, Jam. 3. 17. and then follow the other properties, its firſt pure.
4. This godly prudence, as its very active in doing, ſo its as patient and admirable 4.in ſuffering Holy prudence walketh by lawful rules to avoid danger; but if God will exerciſe them, then its as wiſe to bear them with the flouriſhing exerciſe of all graces. Now fleſhly wiſdom is ſubtil to eſcape miſeries, but if fallen into them, then toileth and vexeth a man like a wilde bull in a net. He hath no skill, no underſtanding to lay himſelf low before God: Now wiſdom is as much, if not more ſeen in ſuffering then in doing. Therefore Jam 1. ſpeaking of the afflictions Gods people would be plunged into, he addeth, If any man lack wiſdom, let him ask it of God, that is, wiſdom to bear afflictions, to account it all joy when they are beſet with them. Howſoever Chriſt hath commanded his Diſciples prudence, that they may eſcape all dangers, yet he hath withall told them, That all their wiſdom, and all their godlineſſe ſhall not preſerve them from perſecution, but they muſt go many of them at leaſt through the red Sea of their own bloud into the Land of Canaan; now when all this doth befall them, they take it thankfully, they rejoyce they are accounted worthy to ſuffer for Chriſt; they are not weary of Chriſt and his wayes, though they coſt them ſo dear; but now the carnal wiſdom of man, if after all the ſhifts and ſubtil plots he hath uſed, he fall into danger, then he is confounded, then he crieth out, then he roareth and curſeth, and is like the Sea foaming out its froth. And thus for the firſt Objection, I ſhall a little touch upon another, and that is, Some may think from hence Object.may be gathered a very popular Argument againſt humane learning: for if they are not many wiſe men after the fleſh that God takes, then this humane learning is not at all to be regarded; Thoſe that have the wiſdom of the Spirit, they ought to be exalted only.
Briefly to anſwer this, That although humane learning without the Spirit of Anſw.God, and the power of Sanctification be nothing but a tinkling cymbal, and is the greateſt enemy Chriſt hath, and the onelyonly pillar of the devils kingdom, yet in it ſelf its a neceſſary qualification, eſpecially to thoſe that are in the Miniſtery, and although God choſe fiſhermen, who at firſt were rude and illiterate, yet he afterwards endowed them with the knowledge of the tongues, and miraculous abilities of wiſdom and utterance; and Paul had all that kinde of learning the Jews uſed to have, and beſides was converſant in humane Authors, as appeareth by his quotations out of humane Poets; and Moſes he was skilful in the learning of Egypt, which was then the onelyonly famous place of learning. Now that learning of it ſelf is a neceſſary qualification to the Miniſters of the Goſpel, appeareth by theſe Arguments;
Firſt, The knowledge of the original tongues is a great part of humane learning, Learning neceſſary in a Miniſter, why 1.yet how neceſſary that is, all the world ſeeth, for without that the Scriptures could not be tranſlated into a known tongue and interpreted. The Bible would have been a ſealed Book; how could men, and women, and children be able to read the Scriptures, had there not been learned men, who by great pains and ſtudy obtained the knowledge of originals?
Secondly, Its requiſite, becauſe a Miniſter is to divide the Word aright, foreign 2.which cannot be without the help of thoſe arts, Logick and Rhetorick, which are properly ſubſervient to that end; for although it be the Spirit of God that helpeth us to the ſenſe of the Scripture in a ſpiritual ſaving way, we are not by our wit able to believe it, to apply it, to conform to it; yet as its a Text conſiſting of words, and a coherence to make up the ſenſe; ſo the inſtrumental way to diſcover that, is by the help of the arts, and therefore thoſe that are unlearned they are ſaid to wreſt the Scripture, 2 Pet. 3. 18. to mangle and torture them to their own deſtruction.
Thirdly, The adverſaries are learned, and every Miniſter ought to be able to gain-ſay 3.them.
Laſtly, Experience teacheth us, That when the arts and humane learning revived, 3.then truths were diſcerned from falſhood: Which made the Pope hate learning, and account it Heretical to underſtand Greek; yea, one Pope would not ſuffer a man to name the word Academia, Univerſity; but this is by the way.
Uſe of Inſtruction: How happy and excellent a thing it is to have godly prudence Uſe.and integrity to imbrace each other; not to let thy wiſdom degenerate into earthly, carnal wiſdom: Oh be afraid, when you are wiſe for earthly things, and have no underſtanding for heavenly! Oh! at the day of Judgement this will be thy folly, thy madneſs: Thou haſt been wiſe to heap up riches, but haſt not been rich in faith or godlineſs; thou haſt been wiſe to get the favor and love of the great ones in the world, but haſt not been wiſe to obtain the favor of the great God: Sapiens non eſt, qui ſibi non ſapit: Now thou haſt no wiſdom for thy immortal ſoul, thy eternal happineſs, for that which is of the greateſt conſequence: Therefore thou art not truly wiſe.