216 Chap. 28. eIn Expofition upon the Book of ) o B. Verf. 2, ches, and fcatter the cummin, and cafi in the principal wheat, and the appointed barly, and the rie in their place ? for bisGod loth in- flrul him todifcretion, and loth teach him, &c. We might think man able of himfelf toplow and till the earth ; yet the Prophet telleth us, that man cannot plow theearth, but by a divine tea thing r yea the Prophet proceeds to Phew that the skill of man threfhing out the corn, is alfo from the Lord, (v. 27, 2S, 2y.) For the fiecbes are not threjhedwitha tbrefhing inflrument, neither is acart wheel turned about upon thecummin r but the filches are boaten out with aflaff, and the cumminwith a rod. Bread-corn ie brasifed ; becaufe be will not ever be tbrefhing it, nor break it with the wheel of biscart, nor bruife it with hie borfemen. This alfocon- ch forthfrom the Lord of hofls, which is wonderfulin counfel, and excellent in working. As if he had faid, not only is that wifdom by which man tilleth his land,and cafieth in his feed,futably to the nature of ir, from the Lord ; but even that wifdom by which man is direáted to threfh out his corn withproper inftruments, con- ed; alfo from the Lord, who is wonderful in counfel, and excellent in working. Though threfhing corn be not a wonderful work, yet the Lord who works wonders, bath his hand in this work. Now if this inferior aet of wifdom be the gift of God , if man -mnuft be infiruded from on high to bring about there lower works, how much more doth man need a divine teaching in fpi- ritual and fupernatural works ? How {hall man break and plow uphis owñ heart, how (hall he low to himfelf in righteoufaefs without the teaching of God ? How (hall he find out that gold and filver that lies in the bowels of the Scriptures ? How(hall he dig thofc Mines, unlefs God teach him ? Though the word of God be all flyer and gold, without any drofs, yet there isa veine for the filver there, which requires holywifdom to find it out. And though the word of God be all (jiver and gold in it felfe, yet by our mifunderftandings we may make it but drofs to us, or buildhay and fiubble, light and unprofitable do&rincs upon it, unlefs we are taught of God, (who is wonderful in counfel, and excellent in working) how towork up our underftandings in the truth of it, and our lives to be the obedience of it. Secondly, Note ; The naturall wifdomwhich Godgives to mankind in common, is faficient to findout the mollfecret things in nature. Natural!
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