Sermon Cloud

All solid wisdom laid up in Christ — True wisdom, wherein it consists —

Knowledge of God, in Christ only to be obtained — What of God may be known

by his works — Some properties of God not discovered but in Christ only;

love, mercy — Others not fully but in him; as vindictive justice, patience,

wisdom, all-sufficiency — No property of God savingly known but in Christ

— What is required to a saving knowledge of the properties of God — No true

knowledge of ourselves but in Christ — Knowledge of ourselves, wherein it

consisteth — Knowledge of sin, how to be had in Christ; also of

righteousness and of judgment — The wisdom of walking with God hid in Christ

— What is required thereunto — Other pretenders to the title of wisdom

examined and rejected — Christ alone exalted.

A second consideration of the excellencies of Christ, serving to endear the

hearts of them who stand with him in the relation insisted on, arises from

that which, in the mistaken apprehension of it, is the great darling of men,

and in its true notion the great aim of the saints; which is wisdom and

knowledge. Let it be evinced that all true and solid knowledge is laid up

in, and is only to be attained from and by, the Lord Jesus Christ; and the

hearts of men, if they are but true to themselves and their most predominate

principles, must needs be engaged to him. This is the great design of all

men, taken off from professed slavery to the world, and the pursuit of

sensual, licentious courses, — that they maybe wise: and what ways the

generality of men engage in for the compassing of that end shall be

afterward considered. To the glory and honour of our dear Lord Jesus Christ,

and the establishment of our hearts in communion with him, the design of

this digression is to evince that all wisdom is laid up in him, and that

from him alone it is to be obtained.

1 Cor. i. 24, the Holy Ghost tells us that â€oeChrist is the power of God, and

the wisdom of God:â€

Son of the Father (upon which account he is called â€oeWisdomâ€

chap. viii. 22, 23); but as he is crucified, verse 23. As he is crucified,

so he is the wisdom of God; that is, all that wisdom which God layeth forth

for the discovery and manifestation of himself, and for the saving of

sinners, which makes foolish all the wisdom of the world, — that is all in

Christ crucified; held out in him, by him, and to be obtained only from him.

And thereby in him do we see the glory of God, 2 Cor. iii. 18. For he is not

only said to be â€oethe wisdom of God,â€

Cor. i. 30. He is made, not by creation, but ordination and appointment,

wisdom unto us; not only by teaching us wisdom (by a metonymy of the effect

for the cause), as he is the great prophet of his church, but also because

by the knowing of him we become acquainted with the wisdom of God, — which

is our wisdom; which is a metonymy of the adjunct. This, however verily

promised, is thus only to be had. The sum of what is contended for is

asserted in terms, Col. ii. 3, â€oeIn him are hid all the treasures of wisdom

and knowledge.â€