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The immeasurable preference of heavenly wisdom to earthly wealth may be seen if we consider -

I. THE FAILURE OF WEALTH. Wealth is continually found to fail; for:

1. It cannot even buy happiness. It may purchase a certain amount of excitement and jollity, but it will not secure contentment, even for one brief year.

2. Much less can it buy blessedness. That happy state of which our Lord so often spoke as blessedness - the deep and true gladness of heart which God plants within the soul, and which all may well wish to possess - this wealth is utterly unable to impart.

3. It will equally fail to buy wisdom. Indeed, it may be truly said that:

4. It often stands positively in the way of its acquisition (Mark 10:23-25).

II. THE CAPACITY OF WISDOM.

1. It tends to provide men with competency, if not with abundance. Honesty, purity, sobriety, diligence, frugality, those virtues which go with the "fear of the Lord," tend to supply a man's home with all that is needful and desirable.

2. It secures peace and joy of heart.

3. It, itself, is man's chief treasure. Better the knowledge of God, the love of Christ, a holy, manly, loving spirit, than any external advantages whatsoever (see Jeremiah 9:23, 24).

4. It prepares for the enjoyment of the treasures which are in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). - C.

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KJV: Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

WEB: Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.