Sermon Cloud

that God hath spread upon the wisdom of the world, in the most in whom it

is, that it shall be employed in direct opposition to its proper end.

(2.) That God hath made this a constant path towards the advancement of his

own glory, even to leaven the wisdom and the counsels of the wisest of the

sons of men with folly and madness, that they shall, in the depth of their

policy, [218] advise things for the compassing of the ends they do propose

as unsuitable as any thing that could proceed out of the mouth of a child or

a fool, and as directly tending to their own disappointment and ruin as any

thing that could be invented against them. â€oeHe destroys the wisdom of the

wise, and brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent,â€

This he largely describes, Isa. xix. 11–14. Drunkenness and staggering is

the issue of all their wisdom; and that upon this account, — the Lord gives

them the spirit of giddiness. So also Job v. 12–14. They meet with darkness

in the day-time: [219] when all things seem clear about them, and a man

would wonder how men should miss their way, then will God make it darkness

to such as these. So Ps. xxxiii. 10. Hence God, as it were, sets them at

work, and undertakes their disappointment, Isa. viii. 9, 10, â€oeGo about your

counsels,â€

nought.â€

contrivances, God is said to have them in derision, to laugh them to scorn,

seeing the poor worms industriously working out their own ruin. Never was

this made more clear than in the days wherein we live. Scarcely have any

wise men been brought to destruction, but it hath evidently been through

their own folly; neither hath the wisest counsel of most been one jot better

than madness.

(3.) That this wisdom, which should tend to universal quietness, hath almost

constantly given universal disquietness unto themselves in whom it hath been

most eminent. â€oeIn much wisdom is much grief,â€

issue, some of them have made away with themselves, as Ahithophel; and the

most of them have been violently dispatched by others. There is, indeed, no

end of the folly of this wisdom. [220] The great men of the world carry away

the reputation of it; — really it is found in few of them. They are, for the

most part, common events, whereunto they contribute not the least mite,

which are ascribed to their care, vigilance, and foresight. Mean men, that

have learned to adore what is above them, reverence the meetings and

conferences of those who are in greatness and esteem. Their weakness and

folly is little known. Where this wisdom hath been most eminent, it hath

dwelt so close upon the borders of atheism, been attended with such

falseness and injustice, that it hath made its possessors wicked and

infamous.

I shall not need to give any more instances to manifest the insufficiency of

this wisdom for the attaining of its own peculiar and immediate end. This is

the vanity of any thing whatever, — that it comes short of the mark it is

directed unto. It is far, then, from being true and solid wisdom, seeing on

the forehead thereof you may read â€oeDisappointment.â€

And this is the first reason why true wisdom cannot consist in either of

these, — because they come short even of the particular and immediate ends

they aim at. But, —

Secondly, Both these in conjunction, with their utmost improvement, are not

able to reach the true general end of wisdom. This assertion also falleth

under an easy demonstration, and it were a facile thing to discover their

disability and unsuitableness for the true end of wisdom; but it is so

professedly done by him who had the largest portion of both of any of the

sons of men (Solomon in his Preacher), that I shall not any farther insist

upon it.

To draw, then, unto a close:— if true and solid wisdom is not in the least

to be found amongst these, if the pearl be not hid in this field, if these

two are but vanity and disappointment, it cannot but be to no purpose to

seek for it in any thing else below, these being amongst them incomparably

the most excellent; and therefore, with one accord, let us set the crown of

this wisdom on the head of the Lord Jesus.

Let the reader, then, in a few words, take a view of the tendency of this

whole digression. To draw our hearts to the more cheerful entertainment of

and delight in the Lord Jesus, is the aim thereof. If all wisdom be laid up

in him, and by an interest in him only to be attained, — if all things

beside him and without him that lay claim thereto are folly and vanity, —

let them that would be wise learn where to repose their souls.