S B c T.X I I. ó,` F_'egual Galling. 6 ag contempt and (corn it is apt toreceive in the world ;'Idamans fufferings its the great comfort, that its not for my raflìneffe, for my unadvifrdneffe, my bulle finful medling, but for a juft and neceffary duty 1 fuller. How then may the wif- domofthe flefh that is finful be dïftinguifhed from lawful and commendable. The different prudence ? berwee carna . And the firft palpable difference is this, Lavin/prudence is alw.yer accompa- wifdom and Hied With integrity and innocency ; but carnal policy hath hypocrifíe, gaile andguilt demQian pra- Withit. Let a man beaswife as he canbe, only lerhim commitno finne, let him r, not play the hypocrite, let him noc violate his confcience. Thus our Saviour giveth that excellent rule, 'Be wife as Serpents, be innocent as `Doves, Mat.to,16. If thouhaft muchof theSerpent in thee, butnone of the Dove, thpu baitnone of this commendable wifdom Let not theSerpent eat up the Dove : Oh but where is this happy boundingof prudence and integrity I Many men have not only the prudenceofthe Serpent,but thepoifonof theSerpent alfo. Never then thinkthat is any lawful wifdom,which runneth thee intoa fin. Itsas ifaman to preventa difeafe fhould eat a great deal of poifon. The lofing of thy integrity, thy innocencyor peace ofconfcience,' is a greater folly then anyalts of thy pru- dencewill commend thee for wifdom. So farre therefore as prudence can finde out away to efcape, andyet keep integrity, this mandoth hit the mark and is like thofe skilful Benjamitrs that couldfhoorto hitavery hair. a. Lawful true prudencehatsfor its end the glory of God , the promoting of his a. truth, theadvancing of Chrifl; beat newflefbly *Pornheels no other end, but felf- prefervation, (elf-advancing. We read ofPeed, whodid fowifely carry himfelf that be could withoutany finorhypocrifie become all things to all men; But What was his great end? is was togain force : It was not tomake hisadvantages of them, butChrifls. And thu"siñanother place he faith, Hehascaught them by guile, 2 Corr 7..16. But how? blot for himfeifbut fier aria.. So that all the prudence Pasíufed in thepreachingofche Miniftery topreferve his liberty, and to fivehis own life, was only to further the Gofpel, and to propagate the truths ofChrift, That the Church of God might receive nodetriment, thy ends will abundantly diftinguifhwhat kinde of wifdòm it is thou haft. ifa carnal earthly wifdom, thou inattereft not Gods glory, not his truth, not hisworfhip, but thy own fifety;' whereas godly prudence regards this molt, and faith of the truth of God and hisgi ory,astheydid to David,Thouart better thentest thaufandofta. rhos fhalt notgo into danger ; and by this it appeareth, that only a godly manis Wife, forhe only can propound fuck divine and publick ends tohimfelf. 3. Carnalwifdem is only the ability and enlarging of the intellellive parts of a 3 inca. His judgement, his invention, his memory ; but then for the heart, the will and afteclions, they remain wholly in fin, fo that Inch men have no inclination, nodelight in any thing but what is evil. But now godly prudence is accompanied with the fanftrficationof the heartand affeftions, they are made obedient and flexible toGod, theyare fer Upon no earthly thing beyond the. bounds God bathprefcribed, and this is a main difference; for according toTome Philofophers opinion, and the Scripture feemeth to inefne that way, Theheart is the feat of all wifdom, Cor fepit,pulrnotóguitus,is theOld fay ing. Sothitifthe heart becarnal and polluted, then thewifdom thereof is (o ; and commonly the corrupt will and affeftions bribe anddefile the underftanding; fo that we may' fay in flefhly wifdom the heart and affeéiions theyare corrupted; and then they corrupt the underltanding, that whereas the underftanding fhould go before them, theygo beforethe underftanding, and it is with fucha man,asCopernicus faith it is in thegreat world, theearth moveth, and theSun ftands Rill,' fo their earthly affations theymove, they work,they doell, arid their reafonor wifdom Rands (till, not direfling at all; but godly prudence thatfan /ifieth amanswill and affeftions, itbeginneth in thehead, and fo defcends to the heart, I prayGod. ye be fanaified infpirit, foul andbody; It beginneth fitft inthat which is molt Kkkk 2 Sub-
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