SER M. the Greeks feek after Wisdom; But we , XIII. preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a fumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishnefs; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chrift, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God: For- God hath chofen the foolish things of the World to confound the wife, and the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; That no Flefh fhould glory in bis Prefence. And in the 11th to the Rom. ver. 30, he illuftrates and ftrengthens the fame Argument ftill further, by obferving another and more particular instance of Wisdom, in God's fo difpofing this whole matter, as that the Unbelief of the Jews at firft, and the Converting of the Gentiles, would finally terminate in the more illuftrious Reducing of the Jews likewife, and the Salvation of Both: For as ye, faith he, ye Gentiles, in times past have not believed God, yet now have obtained mercy through Their [the Jews] unbelief; Even fo have Thefe alfo [the Jews] now not believed, that through your [the Gentiles] mercy They also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them All in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon All:

O the

J.

O the depth of the Riches both of the Wif-SER M. dom and Knowledge of God! how unfearch- XIII. able are bis judgments, and his ways past finding out!

III. THE Uses we are to make of this Whole Difcourfe, concerning the Wisdom of God confidered either in general, or as more particularly manifefted in his Works, his Government, and in his Laws; are briefly fuch as follow. That from hence we confute the Folly of Atheists, by fhowing them that the more the Works of God are ftudied, the more marks of Wisdom are continually discovered in them. That we who are already convinced of this truth, be continually praifing God for all his Works of Wifdom; who by his excellent Wifdom made the Heavens, for his mercy endureth for ever; and stretched out the Earth above the Water, Pf. cxxxvi. 5, &c. and particularly for his works feen in ourselves; whether with regard to our bodies, Pf. cxxxix. 14. I will praife thee, for I am wonderfully made ; or with respect to the Faculties of our Minds, for his having taught us more than the Beafts of the Earth, and made us Wifer than the Fowls of Heaven, Job xxxv. 11. That though the Inftances of Wisdom

We

SER M. We can difcover, are numberless; yet we XIII. are not to wonder if we cannot find out

6.

All the ways of infinite wisdom, nor comprehend All the fecrets of Providence: For, canst thou by fearching find out God? canft thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven, what canft thou do? deeper than hell, what canft thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the Earth, and broader than the Sea, Job xi. 7. This Excellent man Job himSelf, who once thought he could underftand the ways of God, and of God, and argue with him, yet confeffed afterwards, ch. xlii. 5, I have heard of thee by the Hearing of the Ear, but Now mine Eyes fee thee; wherefore I abbor myself, and repent in Duft and Afbes. That therefore it becomes Us to apply ourselves to our own plain Duty, and leave Secret things to the Lord our xxix. 29. God; confidering, whenever the Difficulties of Providence are greater than we can explain, that if the well-laid Defigns of a Wife and potent Prince, cannot by the first Scene of Action poffibly be discovered; much more may it be impoffible for Us, from our very fhort view of a few events of Providence, to be able to ex

Deut.

plain the Defigns of the Supreme and SER M. All-wife Governour of the World; which XIII. yet in the End, (when we know the whole,) fhall appear most evidently Wife and Excellent: Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee, neither fearch the things that are above thy firength: But what is commanded thee, think thereupon with reverence; for it is not needful for thee to fee with thine eyes, the things that are in fecret, &c. Ecclus. iii. 21. For the fame reason, we are, in all afflictions, chearfully to fubmit to him; confidering that the Eccluf. ii. Divine Wisdom knows infinitely better tot. what is fit for us, than we can judge for magnaq; ourselves; and is able to find out unex-ducti, &c. cupidine pected means of deliverance for us, when he pleases; and make all things work together for good to them that love and fear him. And in all Exigencies, where there appear no visible means of escape, yet we may depend on him without anxious follicitude; confidering, that He, whose Providence attends even to the minutest things; who feeds the Fowls of the Air, and clothes the Lillies of the Field; without whom not a fparrow falls to the ground, or a hair of our head perishes; will certainly much

more

Nos cæcâ

SERM. more take care of Us: And that no counsel XIII. can take place, and no device can stand,

I

how deeply or wifely foever it may feem to be laid to human Understanding, if it be not agreeable to his All-wife Will: For even the Foolishness of God, as St Paul expreffes it, 1 Cor. i. 25. that is, those things which to Us seem the most improbable, and wherein God makes use of the most unlikely means and inftruments; even This is wifer than men; and the weakness of God is fronger than men. Lastly, If God is infinitely and Only wife, let Us in Our proportion seek true Wisdom, by Imitation of him, and Job xxviii. by Obedience to his Commands. Prov. ii.

Jam. i. 5:

28.

3, &c. If thou cry after knowledge, and lift up thy voice for understanding; if thou seek her as Silver, and fearch for her as hid Treafure; Then fhalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God: For the Lord giveth Wisdom, out of his mouth cometh Knowledge and Understanding: He layeth up found Wisdom for the righteous, he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly; He keepeth the Paths of judgment, and preferveth the way of his Saints; Then halt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity, yea every good path.

SERMON