618 De fcri pti on of the nature offait in alluf on to the GofPel, forth the Gofpel ; you are they that are the Miniflers. of the Gofpel, that are to bring wifdome to the world ; you are they that are to declare that that will make them wife to falvati - on; and without the do;grine of the Gofpel, there is nothing that will make them wife in the world, while they come tG- know Chrifl.and the Gofpel,their foolith hearts are darkened; but now you are fent to declare unto them the Councells of Gods will about mans etern.all eflate, fo that theykay come to amine wifdome for eternicie ; ye are the fait of -Mtarth, _ the whole world goeth on in wayes of folly till the Gofpet comes amongft them ; the generality of men that have not the preaching of the word,, what ends doe they propound to themfelves of their lives ? or if they doe propound any ends, it is not the right ends they ought to propound, they are farre from propounding there ends for enjoying God in his Sonne Jefus Chrifl, they are farre from tiling the right means to at- ta. Me this end, the world is led on in a paflion, they hurry it on to what lufl their corruptions carry them to. Therefore they have no wifdome to carry it on for what they (halt doe for e- terniti.e; but now, ye are the fait of the earth, that (hall make men bethinke themfelves, and to know what they were borne for,and what they came into the. world to doe,they thali: come to know what is their lall end , they íhail begin to mule and weigh, and ponder things : Now when your dod}rine (hall be gin to prevaile in their hearts, they (há11 then begin to have wifd ome, where before there was nothing but folly in them, , and fo when men converfe with the Saints , they £halt learne wifdome , then they begin to have fait, and to conferre of things, and to have their hearts feafoned with wifdome ; all óumane learning in the world makes not men wife to falvati- on ; the rules of Philofophy may (hewthem wifdome , but the Scripture tells, that the world by wifdome knew nor God; . That's the frfl ; the Gofpelirbrings wifdome where ever 'it cores, it teacheth the world to be truly wife for falvation. Secondly , Salt it makes things favory, that is the fecond thing to be confidered in fait ; fait it hath fuck a property to dry up the evill moyfture that took away the relith of the fa- vour
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=