300 Chap.12. An.Expofition upon the Boo(of JOB. Verf.2oil tion to him. And as it isa judgement upon a people when Prin- ces refufe the aged, and follow young Counfellours: So it is the fame,ifnot a greater judgement upon a people, when God takes wifdom from old Counfellours , and leaves them to at like youngones. A youngman without underftanding cannot do fo muchhurtas he that is aged. His youth leaves his advices under queftionand difcuflión. But when old and experienced Coun- fellours, who have travelled inaffairs many years, andeve got the reputation ofwife men, provelike empty casks without any fillingofwifdom , they quickly undoe all with authority , and unfufpefted.. No marvel then if God put this among his marvel- lous judgements (Ifa.29,14.)Therefore,behold, I will proceed to doa marvellous workamongft this people , even amarvellotuwork and awonder. See how attention is railed, here is, Behold, and then, Behold Iwill do a marvellous work and then, a marvellotu work and a wonder. And what is it ? The wifdomof their wife men(hall perifh , and the under"landing of their prudent men(hall be hid. Noman wonders to fee force men without wifdom, they were never guilty of it : But to fee wife men unwife , and pru- dent men ( filch I mean as have given longproof of theirpru- dence) without, underflanding , here's a wonder. As we fay , young men may dye, but old men mull ; fo young men may be wife, but old men fhould : and thofe oldmen , who have once been'thought wife, are feldom thought otherwife of , though, God have indeed taken away their wifdom. 2\ówthere areno fools do fo much mifchief, at they who are thought to bewife. A. fool that. is wife in his own conceit only, endangers no body but himfelf, for no body will truft him. But a fool that is wifein the conceit ofothers, may endanger thoufands , for all are ready , not only to truft , but adore his foolfhip. It would not be fo. great a judgment to have underflanding taken from the aged, if the reputation of it were not Rill left upon them. It is a foar fcourge to a land, when God as the Prophet threatens (1f3.2.) takes away that ftaff, the prudent and the ancient, that is, young men who are wife, as well as ancient wife men. But it is a foarer fcourge, when he takes away the prudence ofthe ancient : So that thofe ancient men , who ufed to be prudent , become light and precipitate in their counfels. When flayedand fober -paced men, run headlong, all, both things and perlons are like to run head- long with them. By fuck meansfoolifh counfels, the wife and deft;.
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