each P tii's'orr djintfly. á83 And in the iffue, fome of them have made away with themfelves, as Ahi- thophel, and the moil of them have been violently difpatched bs' others. There is indeed no end of the folly of this wifdom. (a) The great men of the world carry away the reputation of it, really it is found in few of them. They are for the tnpil part common events, whereunto they con- tribute not the leafi mite, which are afcribed to their care, vigilancy and forefght. Mean men that have learned to adore what is above them, reve- rence the meetings and conferences of thofe who are in greatnefs and efteem. Their weaknefs and folly is little known ; where this wifdom hath been molt eminent, it hath dwelt fo clofe upon the borders of atheifm, been at- tended with fuch falfenefs and injuftice, that it hath made its poffeffors wicked and infamous. I (hall not need to give any more initances to manifeft the infuf$ciency of this wifklom for the attaining of its own peculiar, and immediate end. This is the vanity of any thing whatever, that it comes Mort of the mark it is direfted unto, it is far then from being true and folid wifdom, feeing on the forehead thereof you may read difappointment. And this is the firfb reafon why true wifdom cannot confìft in either of thefe, hecaufe they come lhort even of the particular and immediate ends they aim at. But, [2.1 Both thefe in conjunftion, with their utmoft improvement, are not able to reach the true general end of wifdom. This affertion alfo falleth under any eafy detnonfiration; and it were a facile thing to difcover their difability and unfuitablenefs for the true end of wifdom, but it is fo pro- feffedly done by him, who had the largelt portion of both of any of the Ions of men (Solomon in his Preacher) that I [hall not any further, infift upon it. To draw then unto a clofe ; if true and folid wifdom is not in the leafi to be found amongft thefe, if the pearl benot hid in this field, if thefe two are but vanity and difappointment, it cannot but be to no purpofe to feek for it in any thing elfe below, thefe being amongft them incomparably the molt excellent, and therefore with one accord let us fet the crownof this wifdom on the head of the Lord Jefus. Let the reader then in a few words take a view of the tendency of this whole digreffion. To draw our hearts to the more chearful entertainment of, and delight in the Lord Jefus, is the aim thereof. If all wifdom be laid up in him, and by an intereft in him only to be attained; if all things befide him and without him, that lay claim thereto, are folly and vanity, let them that would be wife learn where to repofe their fouls. (a) Prudens furori remporis existan Çaliginota norte premi, Deus, 4ide,que fi mortdlis ultra Fas trepidar, Heraf. ClIAPa
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