9 . Chap. ' i. .9n Expofitioat upon the Boob of JO B. Verf. s!z, a beaft intoa mán or to rnake a beats underftand reafon as to change a (inner into a Saint , or to make a beleever ofan Infidel. Converton is not the change of aíuions only, but ofnature. This fentence, Vain manpall be made wife, whenan affè is made aman,is of the fame fenfe with that Proverb among us, When the se fals we (hall have larks , or with this , Such a thing (ball come to page whenablackmore is reaped white, or rather with that ofour Savi- our in the Gofpe! It is eaterfor a camel to goo thorow theeye ofa needle then fora rich man to enter into the kingdomof God Mat. 19. 24. Rich men (hall go to heaven,. when a camel or a cable (fo forcereade) paffeth thorow a needle ;. that is,. it is impoffi- ble they fhou.d by any power.of man ; and therefore to cafe the lharpneffe ofthe fpeech, Chrift adds by way ofexplication, With Cod all things are pofble. It is anhard thing, yea an impoffble thing (without God) for a rich man to be,faved, or for a vain man to be made wife. And it is thus hard to make a rich man happy be- caufe he thinks himfelf happy enough and to make a vain man wife, becaufe he prefumes he is wife enough. Sufi than aman wife in his ownconceit, there is more hope ofafoolthan ofhim, Prov, 26.12. or in the language of this text, there is as much hope of a beat} as of him. Aman had better be ignorant, then conceited of his knowledge. An opinion of knowledge keeps out truekptowledge. Not only infiruCtion , but correption is loft on fuch Opinionifls, (`Prov.z7.2.) Though thou fhouldefl braya fool in a mercer among wheat with apeflel, yet will not hisfooliflhneffè depart from him. He means it not of a natural fool, nor of one that is convinced of his foolifhnes but ofhim (who is the great fool of all) that is in love with his own fancies and fhadows of wifdome : take 'filch a fool and beat him to pieces in a morter, that is, let him be ali- cted , till he be almoft deflroyed , yet his folly departs not from him ; you may as loon make a beat} a man as fuch a fool toun- Ftagedis era-. dérftand , There is but onegreater enemy to reall knowledge then :g. dietxr,&gxam-norance, and that is a conceit ofknowledge. Only he that can drive a vis excors FS'ex- carael thor owa needles eye, andmake a beatsa man;Only he that calls pets onnivrrr feierteiarn,,, thofe things which are not, as ifthey were, can make, vainman wife, nafeatur, ta- andhim tobe holy, who is not. oven per Dei Secondly, 7 his rendering , So'hall vainman be made wife, and gratiam reddi- the wilde affe fltall be born a man, flteweth us the effef3 of thofeaf- Intedgeres. #liftions, whichGod laieth upon man. He confiders their.fins to punifh
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