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{Sermons on Ephesians 5:15
The Doctrine Explained
Precisians Are Proved to Be Not Fools}
Concerning these people, I will now prove, and make evident to the consciences of all impartial people, that Precisians are not fools, but truly wise people.
To do this, I must first explain what is meant by “fools.” A fool is a person devoid of understanding. We are not now discussing natural fools,85 but those who are fools for moral reasons, people devoid of true wisdom. Wisdom is of two kinds. First, there is fleshly wisdom and carnal policy, which consists of understanding where the interest of the flesh lies and in ordering and managing ourselves and our affairs so that we may advance and secure this interest. By the interest of the flesh, I mean all of those things that please and gratify the flesh and by which the fleshly minds of people are most delighted. These are things in which they place their contentment and happiness, such as outward peace and quiet, outward ease and security, outward plenty and prosperity, and outward credit and reputation. He who can order his affairs and steer his course so as to most advance and best secure his outward concerns and do so in a way that, whichever way the world goes, he may live in peace, quiet, reputation, plenty, and pleasure—this is a fleshly wise person. The present discussion does not concern this kind of wisdom.86 It is easily granted that “the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light” (Luke 16:8 NKJV). The sons of this world can better scheme to live in the world and keep themselves whole during all changes and upheavals. The apostle disclaims this kind of wisdom: “For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you” (2 Corinthians 1:12 ESV).
The second kind of wisdom is spiritual wisdom, which consists in two things. The first is in understanding where our main interest lies, which is not in temporal things such as food, drink, clothes, money, houses, lands, pleasures, and honors. Rather, our main interest lies in spiritual things such as the love and favor of God; a good conscience; righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit; in eternal things; and in that glory, honor, and immortality that will be given by God.
The second thing of which spiritual wisdom consists is ordering ourselves and ways so as to make the best provision for securing our great and eternal inheritance in Christ. And moreover, it consists of doing so in such manner that we may surely obtain those things in which our eternal happiness consists, no matter what miscarriages there may be in things of lower value and merely temporal longevity. This is called in Scripture “the wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17). It is wisdom to salvation and the only true wisdom. God has made, and will make, all fleshly wisdom show itself to be folly. Concerning this true wisdom, this spiritual wisdom, I will now prove that circumspect, precise Christians are not fools, but are the only wise people, and do so from these reasons:
God does not account them to be fools.
They will not be accounted fools at the Last Day, either by God or by people.
The attributes of wise people are found in them.
The treasures of wisdom are found with them.
85natural fools: those with mental disabilities.
86Fleshly wisdom is distinguished by its seeking to please oneself above love of God and neighbor; the present discussion is not against wise Christian stewardship and conduct of life, about which the book of Proverbs speaks much.
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