Chap. r r.. eAnExpofition upon the Bobhof JOB. Vert 12. ear to hear, and you may get a heart to know: underflanding and knowledge, yea and grace too, come in at the ear. Vain man wouldbe wife, and is not this a good woulding ? Is it any part ofmans folly that he would be wife ? What can be bet- ter withed then wifdome ? Solomons prayer was for a heart. When God gave him a blank from heaven, and faid, efísk what 1:(hall give thee ; HePaid, give thy fervant an underfianding, or (accor- ding to the letter of the original) an hearing heart, a King.3. ;,9. And was Solomon called vainman, becaufe he wouldbe wife? Was not his eie&ion highly approved by the onlywife God?How then is it, that Zophar upbraids fob 'with this delgn,and clofely taxeth him as a vain man, becaufe hewould 'be wife ? I anfwer, Todelire to be wife is a great point of wifdome, and whereas Zophar makes it a fault, That vain man would be wife, the faultineffe muff be found in one or both of thefe fenfes. Eirft , When man would beaccounted wife, and affeLTs the re- putation of wifdome, more then the realityof wifdome. When he doth not fomuch care to be wife, as to be thought wife. The name is better to him then the thing. e_2/.49 have agreat opinion of their ownwifdome , andwouldhave others take up that opinion of them too. Wifdome is the beltthing. And thefe think themfelves well enough, if they flourith in the thoughts of others for wife men. The reputation of wifdome pleafeth them as much as the enjoyment of it. Thus, to have an itch tobe effeemed wifer then we are , or wife when we arenot, is the greateft piece of folly. It is a loud vanity to affefl an opinion of wifdome among others, or to have an high opinion of our own wifdome. Thus vain 'man would be wife, and it is his vanity that he would. Secondly, Man is vain when hewould be wife beyond his line, or in things above him,not in things about him or fit for him.The fcope of the place leadsus to this Expofition.Canft thou byfearch- ingfinde out god? Canfl thou finde him out to perfeltion ? He is as high as heaven, &c. Though fuch knowledge ofGod be too high for any man , yet vain man offers at it and thinks he knoweth nothing, ifheknow not fomething which heought not ro know. Man naturally defres forbiddenwifdome and his delire is feven times ftronger after it , as it is forbidden , then as it is wifdome. Many will not hear wifdome when fhe cals who yet would be wife in that which they have no call to. 4nevil heart cannot delre. anygood, butfor the fakeof fonue evil that comes with it. Thedevil M 3 tempted
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