The author of the words now before us, was a remarkable instance of this; never, perhaps, was a greater scholar, in all what the world calls fine learning, than he: for he was bred up at the feet of _Gamaliel_, and profited in the knowledge of books, as well as in the _Jewish_ religion, above many of his equals, as appears by the language, rhetoric, and spirit of his writings; and yet, when he came to know what it was to be a christian, “He accounted all things but loss, so he might win CHRIST.” And, though he was now at _Corinth_, that seat of polite learning, yet he was absolutely determined not to know any thing, or to make nothing his study, but what taught him to know JESUS CHRIST, and him crucified.
Hence then, appears the folly of those who spend their whole lives in heaping up other knowledge; and, instead of searching the scriptures, which testify of JESUS CHRIST, and are alone able to make them wise unto salvation, disquiet themselves in a pursuit after the knowledge of such things, as when known, concern them no more, than to know that a bird dropped a feather upon one of the _Pyrenean_ mountains.
Hence it is, that so many, who profess themselves wise, because they can dispute of the causes and effects, the moral fitness and unfitness of things, appear mere fools in the things of GOD; so that when you come to converse with them about the great work of redemption wrought out for us by JESUS CHRIST, and of his being a propitiation for our sins, a fulfiller of the covenant of works, and a principle of new life to our souls, they are quite ignorant of the whole matter; and prove, to a demonstration, that, with all their learning, they know nothing yet, as they ought to know.
But, alas! how must it surprize a man, when the Most High is about to take away his soul, to think that he has passed for a wise man, and a learned disputer in this world, and yet is left destitute of that knowledge which alone can make him appear with boldness before the judgment-seat of JESUS CHRIST? How must it grieve him, in a future state, to see others, whom he despised as illiterate men, because they experimentally knew CHRIST, and him crucified, exalted to the right-hand of GOD; and himself, with all his fine accomplishments, because he knew every thing, perhaps, but CHRIST, thrust down into hell?
Well might the Apostle, in a holy triumph, cry out, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world?” For, GOD will then make foolish the wisdom of this world, and bring to nought the wisdom of those who were so knowing in their own eyes.
I have made this digression from the main point before us, not to condemn or decry human literature, but to shew, that it ought to be used only in subordination to divine; and that a christian, if the Holy Spirit guided the pen of the Apostle, when he wrote this epistle, ought to study no books, but such as lead him to a farther knowledge of JESUS CHRIST, and him crucified.
And there is the more reason for this, because of the great mischief the contrary practice has done to the church of GOD: for, what was it but this learning, or rather this ignorance, that kept so many of the Scribes and Pharisees from the saving knowledge of JESUS CHRIST? And what is it, but this human wisdom, this science, falsely so called, that blinds the understanding, and corrupts the hearts of so many modern unbelievers, and makes them unwilling to submit to the righteousness which is of GOD by faith in CHRIST JESUS? But,
_Secondly_, Without this knowledge our performances, as well as persons, will not be acceptable in the sight of GOD.
“Through faith,” says the Apostle, that is, through a lively faith in a Mediator to come, “_Abel_ offered a more acceptable sacrifice than _Cain_.” And it is through a like faith, or an experimental knowledge of the same divine Mediator, that our sacrifices of prayer, praise, and thanksgivings, come up as an incense before the throne of grace.
Two persons may go up to the temple to pray; but he only will return home justified, who, in the language of our collects, sincerely offers up his prayers through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.
For it is this great atonement, this all-sufficient sacrifice, which alone can give us boldness to approach with our prayers to the Holy of Holies: and he that presumes to go without this, acts _Korah_’s crime over again; offers unto GOD strange fire, and, consequently, will be rejected by him.
Farther, as our devotions to GOD will not, so neither, without this knowledge of JESUS CHRIST, will our acts of charity to men be accepted by him. For did we give all our goods to feed the poor, and yet were destitute of this knowledge, it would profit us nothing.