Chap. zs. An Expofition upon the Bcokof J o a: Vcrf. s6i 709:. hellifh counfel into the hearts ofthe heft, how then is he thus confident, The counfel of the wicked isfor fromme. The meaning is, I amfarfrom the counfel of the wicked : for though we cannot keep the counfel of wicked men, or the counfel ofSatan, his fuggeftions, and motions far from us (for thefe will bebuzzing about us)yec we may keepour felves far from them, that i we may keepour hearts at a diftance from them. Now that is the meaning of14, The counfel of the wicked isfarfromme ; that is, I amof another opinion, and . minde,. I doe not fail inwith-them, t doe not fay as they, I doe not affirme what they affirme, or deny what theydeny. The counfel ofthe wicked isfarfrom me, It Chews that he had a quite different judgement of things from the wicked ; nor did he like their way, notwithftanding their ,profperitie and fn.cefYe, As if he had laid ; I am not in love with their good and greaeneffe, muchgood doe it them;it is farfromme to with it in their way, and upon their termes; for 1 never trod in their path, nor walked in their counfel. Hence obferve firft; The counfel or courfeof a wicked man is foolifh andprep}ie rots in the opinion ofthe Godly. As himfelfe is, fo is his counfel, both nought, therefore a roodman abhors them. What is the counfel of awicked Man? ' What is bis courfe ? His counfel is to follow the world, to heapeup riches, to engroffeearth, negíec`ting heaven;tobe ve- ry eager after the things that are feene, not regarding the things that are not feene. This is fooli.fh counfel ; for (faith maul, 2Cor. 4: alt.) we looke not at things that are fetos. How can a man looke at things that he cloth not fee ? How cal he ayme at a mark that he doth not reach with hiseye ? Indeed belgevers looke at nothing but what they fee, though they doe not Tooke at the things which are feene. Here is the eaceleta. cy ofbeleeveas, they ayme at things that are not feene by the corporal eye,but they have a fight ofthem by the eye oífaith, they fee them with a fpiritual eye, or elfe they could not ayme at them. Now, we locknot (faith Paul) at things that ar e feene, (which is the counfel ofthe wicked) but at things which are net Teen; for the things that are feen are tctnperal,bot the things which c are
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