The Trial of True Wisdom, Section 53
§. 53
That it is ſo with them, and all others who goe to Counſell, and leave the God of wiſdome behind them: let their caſe be viewed in other perſons. What ſaith Pharaoh to his deep Counſellors? Come, let us do wiſely, when indeed he went about that which deſtroyed both him and his countrey. The Scribes, Phariſees, and Elders, took counſel againſt Chriſt; as though they would moſt wiſely prevent their own ſalvation. Joſephs brethren, to prevent his having dominion over them, (as his dreames imported) thought they had taken a very wiſe courſe, in ſelling him to the Iſhmaelitiſh Merchants, which was indeed the onelyonly meanes to effect it. They murther Chriſt, leſt the Romans ſhould come: and by ſo doing, their coming was haſtned. The Jews ſay, Come let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours: But in killing him, they loſt the inheritance and themſelves too. And ſo it always fares with our Machivillians in the end, ſpeed they never ſo wel for a time. For let the Devil promiſe them never ſo fair, (ſuppoſe it be a Kingdome) the up-ſhot will be but ſad and doleful: as it fared with Athaliah, who having ſlain all the Kings ſeed, that ſhe alone might raign, loſt both the government, and her life too. Or as it did with Abimelech, who ſlue ſeventy of his brethren, that he might with ſafety enjoy the Kingdome loſt both it, and his life with it. And many the like we read of.
Whence St. Ambroſe obſerves, that the plots of the wicked, alwayes return upon their own heads. As Pope Hildebrands ſervant, by ſtumbling, was killed with that ſtone he ſhould have thrown down on Frderick the Emperour, at his Devotions. Or as Griphus his mother, was made to take that draught, where-with ſhe intended to poyſon him. Yea, how little was Judas ſet by of the High Prieſts, when once he had ſerved their turn? How did they ſhake him off in that pittiful diſtreſſe, with look thou to it? And ſo how poor are the witches, that in confidence of theſe promiſes, even ſell their ſouls to the Devill.
See here in theſe few Examples, you have the depth and ſolidity of our greateſt and wiſeſt Politicians, and yet lewd men, moſt ridiculouſly and abſurdly, call wicked policies, wiſdome, and their ſucceſſe, happineſſe. But herein Satan makes them of all fools the ſuperlative, in miſtaking villany and madneſſe for the beſt vertues. And what is the ſumma totalis of all but this? Faux-like, they project other mens over-throw, purchaſe their owne. Neither hath any man been wiſe to do evill, but his wiſdome hath had an evill end. As ô the multitude of Examples that are recorded, to give credit to this Doctrine! Was not the wiſdome of the Serpent turned into a curſe? the wiſdome of the Phariſees into a woe? the wiſdome of Achitophel into folly? the wiſdome of Nimrod into confuſion? the wiſdome of the unjuſt Steward into expulſion out of Heaven? the wiſdome of Jezabel, into a ſhameful death? &c. So that in the iſſue, their caſe proves but like the ſpiders, that was weaving a curious net to catch thè ſwallow: who when ſhe came, bore away both net, and webb, and weaver too. Wherefore, ô God, make me but ſoul-wiſe, and I ſhall never envy their knowledge, that pity my ſimplicity: Let me be weake in policy, ſo I may be wiſe to ſalvation.
And I cannot but wonder to ſee, how the moſt are miſtaken in them: But being thus diſcovered, I hope it will appear, that as love & luſt are not all one, ſo a cunnning Politician & a wiſe man are not both one. As we have ſeen ſome that could pack the cards, & yet were not able to play well.