Chap. 5. An,ExpoJitioh upn the Book of I O B. Verf. 12. 277 errours,that ever poyfotì'd the fpir it of rnau,or vex( the Church of God,have been Town in that rank foyl, the wits of Philofo- phets. WhichgaveTertullian occafion to call Pbilofopbers, The Philofophi Patriarks of Heret:Oki, or Ile 'Patrons of Heretier ; They ,were bareticoram men of high cnoceits and apprehenf Las, and in tholefertile and Tert.rrha, r;ch grounds, Satan with great fuccefs call the cares of errour. When Chrilcamc into the world, he had aloft oppofition a- mong the crafty Scribes and Pharifeet And Herod the Fox ( as Chrifl himfelf calls him for his fubcilty )was a notorious inftru- ment of Satan,to hinder the receiving otChrifl.Our LordChri(t fomerimes chufeth the fimplea, the meaneft, the plaine(l men , fi(hermen todo his work. But Satan chufeth the fubtileil he can find in learned Tbronls,to (end of his errand. The reafon of this difference between Chrifls choice, and Satans,is ; Satan cannot make a Mercury out of every block, he is not able to give aman un- der(landing,wifdomor abilities for hiswork=neither, can he in- creafe or improve any mans parts & gifts: he mull have inflrú meats ready to his hand,he can but put them forward & tempt themon. He will give fuch as are flrong and crafty,many mo- tives to ferve him, but hecannot furnifh themwith flrength or craft to (erve him.$tt-Chri(t can give gifts tomen, which they have not,and raise the parts, which they have. He can make him- ;elf a Mercury,a Wenger out ofany bloc/¿. Chrifl can fenda fool ofbit errand,and caufe him tole it wifely , He can caufe the Hammering tongue to (peak plain, and the plainef man to (peak the high- eft Rhetorick. When a c.Mores complains of a flow tongue , he can fay, Iwill be with thy mlutb, and teach thee what thou (halt fay, Exod 4. 1E. If he finds us not fit CO do his buínefs, he_ can make us fit. If Chrift pleafe, he can make a man mailer of his Trade,before,or as loonas ever he is a fervant twit Thus,with. out the wifdom of the world, Chrifl overcomes the wifdom of the world ; And by the foolifhnefs of preaching ( as men count foolifhnefs) favetb thofethat believe (r Cor. T. 2t. ) the fooli(,ne!s of God is wifer then man, That is, thofe inflruments which Chrifl imployes, how foolifh foever men account them, flail foil all thewifdom of man. Therfore let no man boat/ of his natural paraf,unlefs they be fpi- ritualiz'd,dt refrgn'dup(for inch Chrifl commonly ufes,though he can make tie of others) to the (etvice of Chrifl. Confider co whom you are intrumeutal,with your parts and knowledg.A.(l wic
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