December 17

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.—1 Corinthians 3:19, 20.

THOSE persons who please themselves only with human knowledge, are not wise in Scripture account. If it were possible for a man to unravel nature from the cedar to the hyssop, if he had such a judgment as to penetrate into all natural conclusions, and to resolve all effects into their proper causes; yet if this man be without the fear of God, as Jerome said concerning worldly-wise men in general,—"he doth but wisely go to hell." Now that I may show you, that all human knowledge without the fear of God can not render a man truly wise; consider it in these three respects:

First. In respect of its insufficiency to repair the ruins of the fall, or to perfect that which is amiss. Experienced Solomon tells us, that that which is crooked can not be made straight: I shall apply it thus: there is an impossibility in natural knowledge to rectify the spirit of man, which is fallen from its primitive rectitude, or to restore the image of God to the soul, which is so much distorted by reason of sin. The apostle, speaking concerning the wisest heathens, says, Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. All this is spoken of the wisest heathens. Seneca, in a letter of his, where he makes an inquiry after wisdom, resolves it to be this, "For a man to have his soul pure, and an imitator of God." Now this, human knowledge can not attain unto; so that in respect of its insufficiency, it can not make us happy.

Secondly. If you consider its malignancy against the truths of God, either against the sublimity of the gospel, or against the simplicity of it; it will appear that it can not render a man wise:

1. If you consider that malignancy which there is in human knowledge against the sublimity of the gospel. Those truths which reason can not comprehend, it will not embrace. Hence we find, that the Socinians reject several of the fundamentals of

Christianity, because they are above the flight of our reason. We read in the Acts of the Apostles of the philosophers, that they mocked at the resurrection: and we read of Julian, that he did upbraid Christians as persons that were captives to a blind belief. Such kind of truths are opposed by reason in its elevations.

2. And as to the simplicity of the gospel, human knowledge is repugnant to, and malignant against it. Thus we read, that the doctrine of Christ was esteemed foolishness by the wise men of the world, because it was not conveyed to them in the blandishments of rhetoric, and because the very matter of the gospel was such as their pride and lust would not stoop unto. Experience tells us, that the gospel is above natural, and against corrupt reason. Now since human knowledge, when it is alone, without the fear of God, is thus malignant, since it puts sin into armor, as I may so speak, certainly this can never render a man truly wise.

Thirdly. Consider its vicinity to corruption; when it is in its lustre, it then draws near to its period; that death that doth attend a person, will bury all his learning in the same grave with him. Intellectual differences shall shortly cease, and then moral differences shall take place; one moment shall equal the learned and the unlearned, the knowing and the ignorant person, they shall at last stand upon equal ground; but then good and bad men shall be differenced for ever. Now since death so suddenly approaches, certainly this can not be that which makes us wise. Let us then hearken to the words of the apostle, Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

"Happy the man who wisdom gains; Thrice happy, who his guest retains: He owns, and shall for ever own, Wisdom, and Christ, and heaven, are one."