Hooker - BT780 H7 1637

The sovles efeFlua 'calling to Chrift. 377 ftrength of judgement, fharpneffe of wit, and quickneffeof memorie, and all natural! abilities, none of all thefe can make thee able to worke faith in thy felfe 5 Matth. II. 25,26, 27. when Chrift had confidered thehardneffe and difficul- tie ofthe workeoffaith, and had upbraided the Pharifees becaufe they beleeved not, at Taft hec faith, I thanke thee heavenly Father, Lord, becaufe thou haft hid thefe thingsfrom the great and wife of the world, andhaft revealed them unto the babes; it iffo,Oh Father,becaufe it feemedgoodin thy fight ; if wifedome,and prudence, and skill inarts and fci- ences,wouldhwecarried mentoJefus Chrifi, the Scribes and Pharifecs would then have gone to him; but God hath hid thefe things from the wife and prudent ;fo it will be in every man, bee his parts and abilities never fogreat, for the workeoffaith, it is not in thyparts and gifts, but in theLords revealing, it is not thy felfe, but the Lord that muff worke it ; babes themfelves (hall have thefe things revealed, and (hall be made able to beleeve, when thou with all thy parts; and gifts,and wifdome,fhalt be cathiered, and thrown downeto hell ; and then he (haves the reafonof it,AU things are delivered tome ofmyFather, and no man 4noweth the son,but the Fa :her,and he towhom theSonnewill reveale him; fo then, it is not what we haveor doe, but what the Lord Chriftcan and will doe for us ; all the wit in thy head, and all thy skill and parts, will never make thee able to know the Father, unleffe the Lord Chrift will' make theeable toknow him a ifChrift makethee $ bb 3 know

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