616 The Wifdom, Glory, and vol.!. that degree and Perfeáion wherein God poffeffeth them. I (hall give you force inflances of this. His goodnefs, this is referved to God alone, Matth. 59. /7. Why callejl thou me good > there is nonegood, but one, that is God : His Power and Immortality, I Tim. 6. 15, 16. Who is the ble efed and only potentate ; who only bath immortality :. His Wifdom, a Tim. a: 17. The only wife God: Rom. 16. zy, To Godonly wife be Glory : His Holinefs, Rev. a 5. 14. For thou only art Holy. The tranfcendent degree and fingularity of thefe Divine Perfections which are corn- municable, is beyond what we are able to conceive ; fo that altho' theCrea- tures partake of them, yet in that Degree and Perfeáion wherein God poffeffeth them, they are peculiar and proper to the Deity ; fo that in this fenfe, there is none good but God he only is holy, he is the only wife ; in fo inconceivable a man- ner lothGod poffefs even thofe Perfections which in force degree he communi- cates, and we can only underfland them as he communicates them, and not as he poffefleth them ; fo that when we confider of any of thefe Divine Perfecti- onns, we muft notframe Notionsof them contrary to what they are in the Crea- ture ; but we muft fay that the Goodnefs. and Wifdom of God are all this which is in the Creature, and much more which I am not able to comprehend. This being premifed in general, God may be Paid to be only wife in thefe two refpeéts. I As being Originally and Independently wife. a.. As being eminently and tranfeendenty fo. I. God only is originally and independently wife. He derives it from none, and all derive it from him, Rom. t I. 33, 34. 0 the depth of the riches both of the Wifdom andKnowledge of God ! How unfearchable are his lodgments, andhis ways pafl finding out ! For who bathknown the mindof the Lord, or who bath ken his Counfellor ? or who bath ftrfl given to him, audit_hallbe recompenfed untohim again ? For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory fer ever, Amen. He challengeth any Creature to come forth and fay that theyhave given Wifdom, orany other Perfeáion to God ; no, all Creatures that are Partakers of it derive it from him. Prov. a. 6. For the Lord ,giveth Wifdom. Eccl. a. z6. God giveth to a Man that isgood in his fight, wifdom, andknowledge, and joy. Dan. z. z1. He givetbWifdom to the Wife, and Knowledge to them that know Underflanding. z. He is eminently and tranfcendently fo. And this follows from the former, becaufe God is the Fountain of Wifdom, therefore it is moft eminently in him, Pfal. 94. 9, i o. He that planted the Ear, fhallhe not hear ? he that formed the Eye, _hall he not fee ? he that teacheth Man Knowledge _hall not he know ? In like man- ner we may Reafon concerning all other Attributes of God, that if he com- municate them, he is much more eminently poßëffed of them himfelf; the greateft Wifdom of the Creatures is nothing in Oppofition to the Wifdom of God, nothing in Comparifon to it. Nothing in Oppofition to it ; yob 5.13. He taketh thewife in their own crafti- nefs. Job 9.4. He is wife in heart, and mighty inflrength ; whobath barbedhim- felf againfl him, andprofper'd? Prov. ti. 30. There is no Wifdom, nor Under/land- ing, nor Counfel, againji the Lord. s Cor. i. 19. He will defiroy the Wifdom of the Wife ; v. 2.9. andby fooliíb things confoundthe wife. Nothing in Comparifon of it, There are a great many that pretend to Wif- dom, but moft are deftitute of true Wifdom,; and thofe who have it, they have it with many Imperfections and Difadvantages. Ufually thofe who are deftitute of true Wifdom pretend moft to it, yob 11.12. Vain Man wouldbe wife, tho' he be born like g wildA_fe's colt. The High and the Great of this World pretend to it, yob 31. 9. Great Men are not always Wife. Learned Men they pretend to it ; the Heathen Philofophers were great Profeffors of Wifdom, Rom. I. 22.. Profefing _themfelves to be wife, theybecame fools, they were wife to do evil, but to do good they hadno underflanding, as the Prophet fpeaks, Jer. 4. zz. The Politi- cians of the World they pretend to it ; but theirs is rather a Craftinefs than a Wifdom ;. Men call it Prudence, but they are glad to ufe many Arts to fet it off, and make it look like Wifdom ; by Silence, and Secrete, and Formality, and aftiiIted Gravity, and Nods, and Geftures. The Scripture calls it the Wifdom of this
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