Serm.43 378 SERMONS upon Fools. The fame Cloud that was Light to the Ifraelites, was Darknefs to the Egypti- ans. Luther calleth the Promifes, bloody Promifes, through our perverte Applications. Truth is only renewing, as taught by Chrift. Ephef. 4.2 t. If fo be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the Truth is in Jelin. We cannot tell how to ma- tter Corruptions without this ; the Light of common Convi &ion is like a March -Sur, that draweth up Aguifh Vapors ; it difcovereth Sins, but cannot quell them. We fhould be apt to forfake Truth .upon every Temptation, unlefs it were for Chrift's teaching. PfaL it 9. 102. 1 have not departed from thy Judgments, for thou haft to ht me. t John 2.20. Te have an 7Jndion from the Holy One, and ye know all thins. When Men lead us into Truth, others may lead us out again. Thofe that have made trial, can belt judg .of the difference between being taught of God and Men. z Cor. 2.4. My Speech, and my Preaching was not with inticing words of Man's Wifdom ; but in demonfiration of the Spirit, and of Power. When the Arrow cometh out of God's river, it fticketh in our fides. Then we fee Truths with Application. tife 2. It teacheth us how to dire& our Prayers to Chrift. Seek to him with Confi- dence, and with all earneftnefs of Affe &inn. T. With Confidence ; we defpair many times becaufe of our blockifhnefs. Col.2. 3. In him are hid all the Treafures of Wifdom and Knowledg. Hidden, not that they Ihould not be found out, but becaufe they are feen by the Eye of Faith : Hidden, be- caufe depofited there, to be difpenfed to us. God made Chrift a Storehoufe to furnifh all our Neceffities. t Cor. r. 30. Of him are ye in arid Jefes, who of Gad is made unto us Wifdom, and Righteoufnefs, and Sanctification, and Redemption. Wifdom, to give us Spiritual Illumination. Be not difcouraged, it is not the Pregnancy of the Scholar that prevaileth here, but the Excellency of the Teacher. If Chrift be the Teacher, no mat- ter how dull the Scholar be. Pride in Parts hath been an hinderance, but Simplenefs bath never been an hinderance. Pfal. 19.7. The Teflimony of the Lord at Are, making wife the Simple. Jer. 31. 33, 34.. I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write et in their hearts; and will be their God, and they fhall be my People.. Ind they 'hall teach no more eve- ry Man his neighbour, and every Man his Brother, fling, Know the Lord : far they (ball all know me, from the leafi of them to the greatefi of them, faith the Lord. Mat. s r. 25. I thankthee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou hall hid thefe things from the Wife and Prudent, and hall revealed them unto Babes. God can give to (hallow and weak People great underftanding in Spiritual Things, as he cured him that was born blind, fohn 9. 2. With Earneftnefs, cry far Knowledg, and lift up thy Voice for Vaderflanding, Prov. 2. 3. Many times God withholdeth Knowledg, thatwe may cry for it, efpecially when the Cafe is doubtful and litigious. John wept when the Book was fealed with fever Seals, Rev. g. 4. We need to cry for all Grace, but efpecially for Saving - Knowledg. Let us groan and figh when we are in the Dark. T. Confider the Neceffity of Knowledg. The blind Man cried after Chrift, becaufe he knew what it was to want Eyes; Luke 18. 41. Lord, that I may receitse my Sight ! We are not fenfible of our natural blindnefs as we ought to be. There is Ignorance and Folly in all, but Treafures of Wifdom and Knowledg in Chrift. If we are not ignorant, yet we are indifcreet, Men know not how to guide and order their Court. Certainly, if you were acquainted with your felves, you would not hold your peace. 2. Confider the Excellency of Knowledg. All Knowledg is Excellent, as all Light is Comfortable. Knowledg is your Excellency above the Beath; that you have Recep- tive Faculties capable of knowing and underfianding Things, that you are intelligent Creatures, this is your advantage above the Bealts. But Saving-Knowledg is far more excellent, even the Knowledg of God in Chrift. This is the Glory of a Man ; Jer. 29. 23, 24. Let not the wife Man glory in his Wifdom, neither let the mighty Man glory in his Might ; let not the rich Man glory in his Riches. But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he underfiandeth and knowetb me, that I am the Lord, &c. If Men (Mould be able to difpute of every thing that might be known,from the higheft Star to the loweft Shrub; this Knowledg is nothing to the Knowledg of God in Chrift, which is far bet- ter than all the Knowledg of the Queftionifts and Difputers of this World. The Fear of God, that is the belt Excellency, and that is it which Chrift teacheth. I obferve the Providence of God in that one thing,viz. Solomon had wrote many Books of Philofophy which are not extant; when the Books of fame Heathens, as ,drJotle's Book de Ani- malibus, &c. are extant : but his Books of the Fear of God, are preferved by a fpecial Providence, not one of them loft; we may want the other without any lofs ofi true Wifdom,
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