1 COR. 1. 26.
YOu have heard of a wisdom secretly implied by this distinctive expression of the Apostle, Wise men after the flesh, viz. That there is an excellent heavenly wisdome, which is a wisdome after the Spirit. And this is indeed the true proper wisdome. Humane wisdome, like the Glow-worm, may cause some lustre in the night; but heavenly wisdom is like the Sunne, glorious at noon-day. Now concerning these earthly and carnally wise men, see the dreadful dispensation of Gods providence, Not many wise men after the flesh hath God called. Those that by their crafty wisdom are able to get the good things of this world, are denied the good things of the world to come. Those that we use to say of, Let them alone, they will save one, do commonly hereafter lose two, viz. their soul and body. The worlds wise-man at the day of Judgement will be Gods fool. Observe then,
Observ. That wise men after the flesh, though of great repute in the world, are for the most part rejected by God in respect of eternal glory.
The Devil at first made use of the Serpent to deceive mankinde, as being more subtil then any beast of the field; but God he takes the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. That as our Saviour in another case said, That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abominable before God; So it is here, That which the world magnifieth, which it adoreth; is cast away as refuse and drosse by God. Those things which the world reverenceth as Idols of gold, God many times makes fire-brands in hell: So greatly do Gods thoughts and mans differ.
To open this let us consider, What are the Characters and Properties of wise1 men after the flesh. And
First, They are such who have a deep judgement and savoury taste about worldly things, the pleasures and profit of sin, but no apprehension or relish at all about heavenly things. Sapiens a Sapore, because he findes a taste and experimental sweetness in the object he is conversant about. Now as the heavenly wise man he findes a sweet relish in heavenly things, as you see by Davids many expressions about the word of God, and the enjoyment of God; So the earthly wise man he hath a savoury pleasing taste in these inferiour comforts: As David saith, Thou hast put more gladnesse in my heart, then they have had when their wine and oyl increaseth, Psa. 4. So these have more joy in the increase of their profit and pleasures, then in any Ordinances or religious Worship of God: As David saith, His soul breaketh for the longing it hath alwayes to the Commandments of God: So his soul even breaks for the longing it hath to the accomplishment of all its lusts and desires. If you then would have a true description of the worldly wise man, it is eminently in this, He hath a delight and sweet savour in the enjoying of all fleshly lusts. He findes no delight in God, no sweetnesse in Ordinances, no joy in the holy Ghost. His affections are set upon earthly things and not heavenly. As the Swine delights not in pleasant gardens and medows, but in dirty and miery places; so neither doth the fleshly wise man take any joy in the acts of Religion, he knoweth not the meaning of the sweetnesse and excellency of any grace, but is carried out in all the delight of his soul upon these earthly objects. His thoughts are there, his affections there, his discourse and words there; and herein you may even admire to see what parts, skill and discerning many men have in the matters of the world, but in matters of Religion meer Ideots and very fools. Oh they will one day see their madnesse! Could I tell the way to grow rich, and not the way to Heaven? Could I tell how to save my self here, and not to save my soul hereafter? Oh then be ashamed all you who have knowledge and parts about worldly things, but stark ignorant men in matters of godlinesse.
Secondly, Wisemen after the flesh as they savour only the things of the flesh, so2 they have an irreconcilable enmity to the things of God. The more fleshly wisdome and humane craft a man hath, the more wretched enemy and adversary he is alwayes to what is good; they are the great politick wise men that do most abhor and scorn Religion. Thus the Apostle Rom. 8. The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God; what a brand and black infamy doth this Text cast upon all subtil wise men; Their wisdom (that which they boast of, they glory in, the best they have, which the world admireth them for) this is enmity, not dislike, not distaste or aversnesse, but enmity the highest degree of opposition; and enmity in the abstract, nothing but enmity: There is not a crum or a drop of any love or compliance with the things of God. That as the Serpent, though a wise creature, yet is full of poison and venom; such are all men of parts, and wit, and quick abilities, if not sanctified; They have wisdom but against God; they have wit but against godlines; they have craft but to oppose godlines: So that many men would have had easier condemnation at the day of Judgment, if they had been fools and mad men, rather then such wise men; better thou wert a man driven out of thy wits, raving and talking thou dost not know what, then to be so advisedly and deliberatly opposing of the waies of God: O then consider, whether the more wisdom and the more parts thou hast, thou art not the more atheistical, the more crafty adversary to what is holy. Whether that be not the only obstacle, why thou dost not submit to the waies of God; Thy lusts do not hinder thee, thy prophanenesse doth not hinder thee, but thy carnal policy, and thy fleshly wisdom, because godlinesse is a way of self-denial, of danger and opposition in this world; therefore thy heart cannot comply with it.