loo êphefians,Chap.I. V ER.8. which Grace hedid abundantly give us all wifedome, but this is not the meaning : For abundance is not to be adjoyned to the grace be. TheScripture flowed, but to Gods Grace bellowing : the abundant meafure of placeth wife- thegifts is fuffciently (hewed by the note ofquantity, allwifedome; dome, not in knowin and the phrafe Both not lignifie by which, but in, or with which; g one-' ty,bnt in do- 1 for here is no particle to intimate any fuch thing. The fecondcafe ing,L,t him noting the matter , fubject wherein God is here faid to have mho is mile, (hem it in ten abounded, the truth is, aswhen we fay, fuch an one is abundant tome ,,,At : him in his love, our meaningis, thelove of fucka one was abundant toward teat btmetb my' me fowhen he faith God bathabounded towards us in Grace or with mordsand do:b o > , likenhim Grace,hismeaningis,the Grace of Godhad beeneabundant towards us; re a mil b,aldrr. ' who have inhim the remiffionoffumes. inwifedome and under!landing.] Thefe muftfurther beopened : Wife- dame is put fometime generally ; thusS. lames, chap .3. ufeth it for a gift of the minde, given us from above ; which teacheth us toknow, and inclineth us to doe that which is good, and ferving to fome good pur- pofe. It is taken more firi fly, and then fometime it fignifieth the doctrine ofwifedome, the doctrine of Chrift crucified ; fometime the Grace by which we know and believe on Chrift to falvation, evenas faith is put fometime for the Do&rineoffaith ; fometime for thegrace and exercifeofit, as now it actuallybelieveth, r Cor.a. The Dodrine of Chrift crucified, it is called the wifedomeofGod ; predeflinated to our glory; fo in thefirfl it is called the wifedome ofGod;now if the doc- trineof knowing and believing on Chrift be wifedome, needs muft the Grace bywhichwe knowand reft onhim, be wifedome,making wife to falvation:Itakethis to be principally intended,if not foly.Vnderftanding i?; light fupernaturall of the mind,wherebyit conceiveth the meaningof God,inhis word and works,and pierceth into the natureof the thingsof God, of things fpirituall. As wifedome is oppofed to foolifhnefí'e, fo underftanding to dulneffe, and to the fuperficiall overture or childifh fhallowtiefs ofknowledge: Be not children in underflanding,butin ma- licioufnes. The Docìors which boafled themfelvesof knowledg in the Law,becaufe they did abide in the Letter,andnot go tothe inward mea- ning ofit, the Apoftle faith they didnot underfiand the things they did fpeake of. Ifrael knew what God had done, yet not perceiving the end to which his great works tended, fo as to follow and to cleave to ir, they are Paid not tohave an underftanding heart. Knowledge is a gift of the minde, which perceiveth the truth and falfhood which is in things; it is oppofed to ignorance : Thefe two formerwords anfwer to chockmah and Binah, or Tebunah, which in the Hebrewareof like im- portance ; for that note ofquantity(all) wifdome, it doth lignifiea rich meafure in thefe things, not abfolnte perfection : Who enrichedyouwith allleech, all knowledge, r Co.!. The fumme briefly. We have found redemption in Chrift, through his rich grace, which he had abundantly fhewed us, in as much as he hath given us wifedome, whereby we know and refl on Chrifis falvation; and underftanding, which maketh us fee into the things
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