S á-c r:XII." ofÉféEfaalCalllitgs 6t And for thefir, On eminent aúdvifiblerealm, whyGodlets 'Wet the dejìroyitg ì. Sword, as to thelfraelite, but the Scepter óf Grace paire aver this wife man, is to teach us that humane wifdom bath nomerit or caufality , yea bath na di fq,ofties or preparation to theenjoyment of Chrifl. For when we fee God foordering it,That not manywife, not many prudent and fiJbtil men are advanced to this crown of glory, all the worldTeeth it , That it isnothumane wifdom or prudence , but the meer graceof God that Makes the difference. The Apoftle doth often in- form thofe that were converted, That itwas notforany works they had done; but by grace onely : So then; God Who aimed)at his glory in all things; that every mouth mightbe Bopped, that nominmight fay ; I, had a better under- Banding, I had a quicker infightthen others, therefore God chofeme, he takes fuch as are Babesand foolifhcomparatively, andbeilowsimmortalityand glory on them. Had the wifemen of the world been called, then Achiréphel, yrbole counfels,Were as the oracles ofGod had not been refuted. The Heathens many of them gavea largetefimony oftheir great wifdom ; yet noneof thePlatoes, the s.4rifl0les, theTallies of the world didGodmake late of; bat Pifcàroria fm- plicitas, themean things of the worldwere the fitteft wayfor God to make his own greatneffeknown; and henceit is that by fad experience we feemenof the quickeftparts, thenimblell wits, the moll confiant memories, yet to bé the furthefi off from the Kingdomof heaven. Its Gods way, he alone will have theglory, and to him only it Both appertain, andtherefore he takes not thole whomay plead any internal worth in themfelves. Secondly, GodWill hereby teach us, that he lothmore regardthe leaf l degree of á g; trite bumbleandfaving knowledgeof him, eben hedotfi all thehumane wifdom in the world. That as theScripture calsthat tongue, Jfa.go,q, The tongueofthe lear- nedin the Preacher, who is able to fpeak aword ofcomfort in due feafon to a . contrite broken heart forfinne; Sothat man isa wife knowing man, whobath thefear of God in his heart, and thereby departs from all evil ; and indeed as in beafis, that is their properwife inftinftthey have, whereby theyare able to avoid that which is evil and hurtful to them; fo in man, that is his proper Wif- dom to avoid that which is his greattifevil. Now thegreatef evil ofa man, as á man;is finne. For he being made rational and after the image of God, and for that glorious endofeternal happineffe, thatisbis proper evil which depriveth himof this, and onely fmdoth that Oh confider then thou art wife, when thou canil refute alltbofe fins that do fo eafily befet thee I l'hou canfi cry out, astheydid ofthe deadly herb inthe pot; This is death, yea this is damnation. Obferve what is that which makesa man approved of byGod, it is not his great wifdom, his great learning, but a pradlical knowledgeof himfelf andofChrit; AriltotlePaid concerningthe natural knowledgeofthe heavens in their nature and motions, that a little knowledge that way is greater then much knowledge ofthe fublunary things, but certainly the praetical knowledge of heavenly things is farce moreneceffary thenthe fpeculativeknowledge of all Arts and Sci- ences. Let him thatglorieth glory inthis, that he knowethGod. Donot then boaft thy felteither ofoutward greatneffeor inward excellencies of the minde, for thou art not to be compared to the meaneft perfon in the world, howcon- temptible foever, thatdoth in a Paving manner know God : This is eternal life to know God, Joh.17.3. You cannotfay, wifdom, honour, riches areeter-1 nal life. Well,as thefe may be reafons onGods part,fo ifyou confider the earthlyWife Keafons, óa man,There is store hopeof fool then ofhim; Hiswifdom is likea Sword in a mad n++ns pare. mans-hand, hiswifdom is thecontinual offenfive weapon that he lifts upagainft God. For Fini, Amanof carnal wild= isdepravedand defiledtherewhere thefarflmatidnt- x of converf:onj ould thew them/elves, audtbesebin theunderftanding. Light is.firft' madeby God in the newCreature, as it was in the old creature oftheworld Kkkk Now
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