Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

^6. Finally, mark what follows, and see the point on which the whole matter depends. “For professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” For arrogating to themselves what God had given, God took away what He had given. Therefore from the proud He hid Himself, who conveyed the knowledge of Himself only to those who through the creature sought diligently after the Creator. Well then did our Lord say, “You have hid these things from the wise and prudent;” whether from those who in their manifold disputations, and most busy search, have reached to the full investigation of the creature, but knew nothing of the Creator, or from them who when they knew God, glorified Him not as God, nor gave Him thanks, and who could not see perfectly or healthfully because they were proud. “Therefore You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” What babes? To the lowly. Say on whom does My Spirit rest? “Upon him that is lowly and quiet, and who trembles at My words.” At these words Peter trembled; Plato trembled not. Let the fisherman hold fast what that most famous philosopher has lost. “You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” You have hid them from the proud, and revealed them to the humble. What things are these? For when He said this, He did not intend the heaven and earth, or point them out as it were with His hand as He spoke. For these who does not see? The good see them, the bad see them; for He “makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good.” What then are these things? “All things are delivered unto Me of My Father.”