Chap. 28. An Expofition 4epon theBook of ] Q B. Verf. 28. 389 Secondly, As there Phew no fear oí God, becaufe they have a Throng confidence (though a very vain one ) that God will fhew mercy to linnets hereafter ; fo others doe it because they have a clear experience that God exercifeth much patience to- wards (inners at prefent. Becaufc the Lord is flow to bring evil, therefore they arefwift to doe it, The Preac heris txprels in this, (Eccl. 8. Ii.) Becaafefentence againfh an evil work is not execu- tedfpeedily, therefore the heart ofthe fontof men if fully fee in them to toe evil. When once the ' heart is full, not only bent and inclined, but let and refolved to doe a thing, then 'cis far enough fromany fear in doing it. And when Come men haveventured ro fin once , and come off (as toany fenfible hurt) fife, they will venture again and again, and fo often, till at lafi they are perfwa' ded, there is no venture in finning ; and that there's nomore (poflibly not fomuch) of hazard in tranfgreffing as in obey. ing. AThird fort have no true fear of the Lord,becaàfe they have no true knowledgeof the Lord ; they fee not the danger of fin and therefore conclude there isnone. We read thefe two put to- gether (Pro. a: 29.) They hated knowledge, and didnot chafe the fear of the Lord. Nor can theywho have not the knowledge of the Lord chafe his fear ; for Peeing knowledg is the guide of e- leaio , there cannot be a good choice in the will, where there wants a true light in the underflanding. I have thus far difcovered what and where, or in whom that fear of the Lord is which is our wifdotrn ; I !hall now briefly thew thatit is our wifdom to fear the Lord. In the former dif- courfe the Emphafis layupon fear, in this the Emphafis lieth up- on wifdem. That it is our wifdom to fear the Lord, .D vid a %rte with ÿob infomany words (Pfal. I i I To.) The fear of the Lord it the beginning ofwifdom, A good einderfianding bave all they that doe his Commandements. i-le calleth it the beginning of wifdom, not as if it were only the a, B, C, the firft rudement, element, tiitricaput or principle of wifdom ; for indeed it is the perfe6ion,the head, ler metaphorä the highefipinacle of wifdom: And the word, in the Pfalme, funeutascujuf- which we tranflate beginning, fignifieth alfo the heal, the chic} libel rei. Fitne or.uppermofl part of a thing.; andlo here,.: the head, the futn, pá répo- the topof wifdom ; a5- there a.e degrees of wifdoro fo of .clue vio, ordinio fear dIgnita?o7
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