Matthew Poole and continuators on 1 Corinthians 2:5

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God .

Faith properly signifieth our assent to a thing that is told us, and because it is told us. If the Revelation be from man, it is no more than an humane faith. If it be from God, and we believe the thing, because God hath revealed it to us, this is a Divine Faith. So as indeed it is impossible that a Divine Faith should rest in the wisdom of men. If we could make Gospel-Propositions evident to the outward senses, or evident to such Principles of Reason as are connatural to us, or upon such Conclusions, as we make upon such Principles, yet no assent of this nature could be Faith, which is an assent given to a Divine Revelation, purely because of such Revelation. An assent other ways given may be sensible demonstration, or rational demonstration, or knowledge or opinion: but Divine Faith it cannot be, that must be bottomed in the power of God. Nor ought any thing more to be the care of the Ministers of the Gospel than this, as to call men to believe, so to endeavour that their Faith may not stand in the wisdom of men (nothing but an humane Faith can do so.) This will shew every conscientious Minister the vanity of not proving what he saith from holy Writ: all other preaching is but either dictating, as if men were to believe what the Preacher saith, upon his authority or philosophizing, acting the part of a Philosopher or Orator at Athens, not the part of a Minister of the Gospel.

Marginal references: Gr. be.; 2 Cor. 4.7.