68 The Ways of Wifdom, S E R M. a great aggravation of our griefs that they III. are of our own procuring, and it raifeth joy to the greateft height that it fpringeth from an inward caufe, and is the refult of our own wife choice ; for then the mind hath the fatisfying profpe ± of its continuance only by perfevering in the fame courfe. Prow. xiv. 14. The bacljlider in heart fall be filled with his own ways, and a good man (hall be fatisfied from himfe': There is no way of accounting for this but by the con - ftitution of our nature, and refolving it into the will of our great and wife Creator, who in fo forming our fouls hath (hewn plainly that we are made for religion and virtue, to which end he bath furnifhed us with a powerful argument always ready at hand, feeing in the praftice of it we muff be felf- approved, which is a very great happinefs, and in the contrary, felf- condemned, which is an extreme mifery, who can doubt but it was the intention of our maker, the wifeft and molt gracious of all beings, to dire& our choice to the ways of wifdom. Thirdly, The pleafantnefs of wifdom's ways may appear from this confideration, that they lead to the enjoyment of the divine fhvour, and our walking in them is the only foundation
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=