S a c T. XII. ' ofEetTaal çalling. 609 are to (hoot: Is it then the glory of God, the enjoyment of him, and falvation of thy own foul, that thou aime(l at ? If from morning to evening , and again, from eveningco morning, thou art fet upon this ; then art thoua wife man : But Othe follyand fimplicityof mop men, whohave nogreater ends, then to be hap- py and glorious in this world ! and although experience teacheth them the vani- ty of riches, theuncertaintyof honors, and the Tragical ends ofall earthlygreat- nefs, yet they arc refolvedfor no other courfe : Oh that you who read die eBible, profefs your telves Chriaians, acknowledge a day of judgement, believe a refur- reetion of the dead , Ihould yet be bowed down to theft earthly things 1 O boat not any Ionger,in that thouart wife for toget great things in this world 1 for -, that fjrould not be the ucmoft end ; and nothing is happy, but in proportion to its ultimate felicity: Shew thyPelf a rational man ; To what end do 1 labor and weary myfelf all day ? What is it that my foul would have? what doth it de- fire ? Can any thing but God fatisfie it ? can I have any refs or quiecnefs in my fpirit , till the light of his countenance thine upon me ? Cana thou fit down with7onah, though not with filch impatiency , and feeing a worm devouring thy gourd, fomething or other confuming thy outward hopes, cry opt, Vanityof vanittgt, all it vanity ; the Lord onely facisfieth and futficcthnay foul. Fifthly. True soifdom lieth in the elellion or choice , and full execution of all a^ thole meant whichconduce to thatend: Eleftion is a great part of wiídom con- cerning means, as well as intention about the end : Now as God, and rhefee- ing of him, is the ónelyend, thus godlinefs andholinefs is the onely way : See you a man lludiousof godlinefs, careful not to fin or to offend God ; this man is a wife man, becaulehe keepeth in the direft way to his end : The paths of godlinefs end at laa in happinefs; and therefore godlinefs is fo often called mifdam, and The fear of the Lord. by which men depart from fin, and dare not offend him : though accounted a foolifh precífe thing, yet its the beginning of all wiídom ; Whothen is a wifeman, and a prudent ? even fuck anone who choofeth thofe ways, and is diligent in thofe aelions that make for eternal hap- pinefs : Oh ifthou coulda leave offchafepleafures of fin, if thou couldilpray more frequently,reformmore andiouay,ihouwouldit finde this the foal of all wildom. Sixthly, TI"fie heavenly oi[dom lieeb in cireumfpeilion, and a diligent caution; 3 and that two ways: Firs, To let gono opportunity that may advancegrace or happinefs: Walk circumfpeWy, not as fooh, but as wife, Ephef.y.as. and where- in is that feen? By redeeming the time, becan/e the days are evil: Oh thou art thenwife, when thouconbderea, My days are (bore, the opportunities of grace are few, I have been too long already a fetvant to fin, I will therefore take all occalons to further godlinefs ; What hurt andhindrance is thy fpiritual folly and imprudence to thee ? He is accounted the wife Merchant, that takes the feafons and opportunities for his rraffiquing : And thus it is for heavenly things; there is a feafon andopportunity, which if thou neglect, which ifthou let pals, it may never be recovered again : This is called wife to do good. Secondly, This cir- cuatfpeftion, lieth in the avoiding of all the temptations of fin and Satan, which are very fubtil; and unlefsa Chriaian be as Argus, all over eyes, he cannot efeape deflruétionby them. The littleHorn in Daniel,was Paid to be full ofeyes : Some Interpreters make that the Turkilh power and government, which was bale and contemptible at firs, but by their care and induary,and diligent watch- fulnefs, fignified by thole eyes, did prefently biggen into a great Dominion : Thus even a godly man is tobe full of eyei; for the deceits of lofts are many, and the methodsof Satan arewilely and crafty ; therefore its an high degree of wiídom toefcapeall thefe, whereas the fool goethon blindcfeld. Every tin,evcry tem- ptationof Satan, is a pit and fnare to entraphim. Seventhly, teifdom lonfflt is foreftght and providence: To look to prefent 3 pleafures or prefent advantages, notconfrdering the future, isa partof a fool: He it blinds, notable tofeeafar of, faith theApoale,i Pita. Hence the life of a I iii Chriaian
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