Romans 16:25-27 Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ… I. WHAT WISDOM IS. It consists in — 1. Acting for a right end. 2. Observing all circumstances for action. 3. Willing and acting according to the right reason and judgment of things. Wisdom and knowledge are two distinct perfections. Knowledge hath its seat in the speculative understanding, wisdom in the practical. II. SOME PROPOSITIONS IN GENERAL CONCERNING THE WISDOM OF GOD. 1. There is an essential and a personal wisdom of God. The essential wisdom is the essence of God, the personal wisdom is the Son of God (Luke 7:35; 1 Corinthians 1:24). 2. It is not a habit added to God's essence, as it is in man, but it is His essence. It is like the splendour of the sun, the same with the sun itself. 3. It is the property of God alone. He is only wise. (1) Necessarily. He cannot but contrive counsels, and exert operations becoming the greatness of His nature. (2) Originally. Men acquire wisdom; God goes not out of Himself to search it (Romans 11:34; Isaiah 40:14). (3) Perfectly. There is no cloud upon His understanding. (4) Universally. Wisdom in one man is of one sort, in another of another sort. But God hath an universal wisdom. His executions are as wise as His contrivances. (5) Perpetually. The wisdom of man is got by instruction and lost by dotage. But "the Ancient of days" is an unchangeable possessor of it (Job 12:13; Psalm 33:11). (6) Incomprehensibly (Psalm 92:5; Romans 11:33). (7) Infallibly. The wisest men often design and fail; God never fails of anything He aims at (Isaiah 55:11; Proverbs 21:30). III. THE PROOFS OF GOD'S WISDOM. 1. God could not be infinitely perfect without wisdom. All the other perfections of God without this would be as a body without an eye, a soul without understanding. God, being the first Being, possesses whatsoever is most noble in any being. 2. Without infinite wisdom He could not govern the world. He could not be an universal governer without a universal wisdom; nor the sole governor without an inimitable wisdom; not an independent governor without an original and independent wisdom; nor a perpetual governor without an incorruptible wisdom. 3. The creatures working for an end, without their own knowledge, demonstrates the wisdom of God that guides them. As there was some prime cause, which by His power inspired them with their several instincts, so there must be some supreme wisdom which moves and guides them to their end. 4. God is the fountain of all wisdom in the creatures, and therefore is infinitely wise Himself. As He hath a fulness of being in Himself, because the streams of being are derived to other things from Him, so He hath a fulness of wisdom, because He is the spring of wisdom to angels and men (Job 32:8; Daniel 2:21). IV. WHEREIN IT APPEARS. 1. In creation. As in a musical instrument there is first the skill of the workman in the frame, then the skill of the musician in stringing it proper for such musical notes as he will express upon it, and after that the tempering of the strings, by various stops, to a delightful harmony, so is the wisdom of God seen in framing the world, then in tuning it, and afterwards in the motion of the several creatures (Psalm 104:24; Proverbs 3:19; Jeremiah 10:12). This wisdom of the creation appears in — (1) Its variety (Psalm 104:24). (2) Its beauty and order, and in the situation of the several creatures (Ecclesiastes 3:11). (3) The fitness of everything for its end, and the usefulness of it. Divine wisdom is more illustrious in this than in the composure of the distinct parts, as the artificer's skill is more eminent in fitting the wheels, and setting them in order for their due motion, than in the external fabric of the materials which compose the clock. (4) The linking all these useful parts together, so that one is subordinate to the other for a common end. 2. In His government of man — (1) As a rational creature. (a) In the law He gives to man, which is suited to his nature, happiness and conscience. (b) In the various inclinations and conditions of men. Some are inspired with a particular genius for one art, some for another. The rich have as much need of the poor as the poor have of the rich. (2) As fallen and sinful. God's wisdom is seen in — (a) The bounding of sin (Psalm 76:10). (b) The bringing glory to Himself out of sin. (c) Bringing good to the creature out of sin.The redemption of man in so excellent a way was drawn from the occasion of sin. The devil inspired man to content his own fury in the death of Christ, and God ordered it to accomplish His own design of redemption. The sins and corruptions remaining in the heart of a man, God orders for good, and there are good effects by the direction of His wisdom and grace. (3) As converted (Ephesians 1:11, 12). Divine wisdom appears — (a) In the subjects of conversion. Who will question the skill that alters jet into crystal, a glow-worm into a star, a lion into a lamb, and a swine into a dove? (b) In the seasons of conversion. The prudence of man consists in the timing the execution of his counsels; and no less doth the wisdom of God consist in this. (c) In the manner of conversion. So great a change God makes, not by a destruction, but with a preservation of, and suitableness to, nature. (d) In His discipline. 3. In redemption. The wisdom of God is seen here — (1) In that the greatest different interests are reconciled, justice in punishing and mercy in pardoning (Romans 3:24, 25). (2) In selecting the fittest person for this work. He by whom God created the world was most conveniently employed in restoring it (Hebrews 1:2). He was the light of men in creation (John 1:4), and therefore it was most reasonable He should be the light of men in redemption. Who fitter to reform the Divine image than He that first formed it? Who fitter to speak for us to God than He who was the Word? (John 1:1). (3) In the two natures of Christ, whereby this redemption was accomplished. This union was the foundation of the union of God and the fallen creature. He had a nature whereby to suffer for us, and a nature whereby to be meritorious in those sufferings. (4) In manifesting two contrary affections at the same time, and in one act: the greatest hatred of sin, and the greatest love to the sinner. (5) In overturning the devil's empire by the nature He had vanquished, and by ways quite contrary to what that malicious spirit could imagine. (6) In giving us this way the surest ground of comfort, and the strongest incentive to obedience. The rebel is reconciled, and the rebellion shamed; God is propitiated and the sinner sanctified by the same blood. (7) In the condition He hath settled for the enjoying the fruits of redemption; and this is faith, a wise and reasonable condition, and the concomitants of it. (8) In the manner of the publishing and propagating this doctrine of redemption. (a) In the gradual discoveries of it. (b) In using all proper means to render the belief of it easy. (c) In the instruments He employed in the publishing it. (S. Charnock, B.D.). Parallel Verses KJV: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, |
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