_ A Difcourfe ()f the Feat of God. _ .. . . ~}29 ----;:"Stcondly, Eleaio;;-;;choice of thofe Means which ~a ve an intrinfetai refpecl to~ the obtaining of that Happinefs, is another AB: of Wifdom. Hence it is faid, Prov. •· to. Chap; 9' When rvifiiom entrtth into thine hurt, (obferve the Expreffion) bare Knowledge enters~ into the Head, or it enters into the Tongue, but Wifdom enters into the Heart; it makes a Man to chufe thofe things which may premote his real Happinefs; 3· Thirdly, Another AB: of this Heavenly Wifdom is an Application of our Light to PraB:ice. When we honour our Knowledge by conformable AB:s, 'tis a fruit of Spiritual Wifdom; and this is the great difference. between Mental Knowledge and Prudential Judgment. Mental Knowledge 1s termmated m the bare Speculation of an ObjeB:; but that which is PraB:ical Judgment goes forth into. the Convcrfation, Hence it is faid, Prov. 12. I Wifdom drveO wzt/J Pr~tdence. What JS Prudence, ~ut the ReduB:ion of our Knowledge to the various Occurrences of our Lives ? Divine Wifdom always ends in a good Converfation ; it is better known by the Life, than by Difcourfe. Naked Knowledge is like the Light of the Moon, Men fieep by it; but this Heavenly Wifdom is like the Light of the Sun, Men work by it ; and therefere it. is fa1d, jam.~· 13. Who tJ a tVije .m"n and .endued n.III!J know~edge among you? Ltl htm jbew out of agood Converf.rion hu Works rvtth Meekne(s of Wifdom. 4· Fourth!], The Aim and Scope, and Deflgn of Spiritual Wifdom is, to inable a Perfon to glorify God and to enjoy him; to glorify God that fo God may be honoured by us, and to enJOY God that we may be honoured by him. Thus you have the Draught and Scheme of that Wifdom that is Heavenly. .. C H'A P. IX. How the Fear of God is Wifiiom. . 2.Secondlj,WHich brings me nearer to the Text. In wl1at refpeB:s is the Fear of God this Heavenly Wifdom? And that I fhall anfwer in thefe Four Generals. The Fear of God is the beft Wifdom, becaufe t. It manageth the higheft Bufinefs.· 2. It advanccth the fupream lntereft. 3· It avoidetl1 the moft deftruClive Dangers. 4· (Tn order to all thefe) It improves the beft Seafons. t. Firft, The Fear of God is Wifdom, becaufe it managctl1 the higheft BuGnef., Wifdom is not converfant about Toys, but in the guiding of the Soul to its Eternal Reft; in that is Wifdom cxpreffed and exercifed. We look upon a Man that fpends ~~~i~~~a~\~'~!:g ~e~f;~a;;s;t ~n~.~~~r;~h~~~kl~st:~mb~fo~ ~~a~~~~h~at~,~~~~ that fpends his Time and Strength in reference to the World only, is a Spiritual Fool: What is the reafon of it? Becaufe thefe AB:ions are below a Chriftian; and the one is as much Spiritual Folly as the other is Natural Phrenzy. Ariflotle tells us, That Wifdom is the Knowledge of the moft honour, ble Truths, and of thole that are of the greateft Concernment: Now the Fear of God is converfant about· thefe, and that appears principally in this Particular ; Jhis Fear co'nforms our greatefi AEhon.s to that which is the greateft Rule of Wifdom, and that is the Law of God; whicb. is a Draught ol his Will. Now the Will ofGod as it is the Rule of Go·odnefs, fo it is the Rule ofWifdom; and this Grace of Divine Fear fquares all our great Aaion• according to the Rule of the Word of God. This is that Gra.ce which deals with iaviflble Sins, and thofe that are. not known tO the Eye of the World; this is that-Gra~ wh1ch ballanceth all our AffeB:tons and correB:s thm Excefs. All Tempt~tionure ufually grounded m Love ofPleafurcs, Profits, or Honours . Now it is this Fear that cru• cifies the AffeB:ions, is the Mother of Obedienc~ and Devotion; and therefore certainly becaufe it manageth all our higheft Works, and co)lforms them to that Rul!: that is·perfea Wifdom: This Fear of God is moft emi.aemly Wifgorn1 upen this Bbbbbb • aocouor,
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