but doting about questions and ftrifes ofS ERM. words, whereof cometh envy, frife, rail II. ings, evil furmisings, perverfe difputings of ~ men of corrupt minds, and deftitute of the Truth, fuppofing that gain is Godliness, 1 Tim. vi. 4. and declares that they have a Form only of Godliness, but deny the Power thereof refifting the Truth, being men of corrupt minds, and reprobate concerning the Faith, 2 Tim. iii. 5, 8. Which natural Effects of Contentiousness and vain Difputes in order to impofe upon each other our own Opinions, are probably in great part the true reafon from whence it comes to pass, that not many wife men after the Flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; But God has 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; 1 Cor. i. 26. Not many wife men after the Flesh; i, e. not many of those whom the World generally efteem wife, for their being able by fubtle difputes to perplex and make intricate even the plaineft Truths; but the men of Integrity and Plainnefs, of Sincerity and Simplicity of Heart, men of fair and equitable Princi

6

ples,

SER M. ples, univerfally charitable and Lovers of

II.

Mankind, Thefe were the Perfons that 1 Cor. iii. embraced the Gofpel of Chrift. And this

18.

feems to be the Ground and Meaning of that affectionate Thanksgiving of our Saviour's, St Matt. xi. 25. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, becaufe thou haft bid these things from the Wife and Prudent, (that is, from the Cunning or Crafty,) and haft revealed them unto Babes; (to Men of unprejudiced Plainnefs and uncorrupt Integrity ;) Even fo, Father, for fo it feemed good in thy fight And of his declaring accordingly to his Difciples, St Luk. xviii. 17. Verily I fay unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child, fhall in no wife enter therein.

AND thus much concerning the first general Head, namely, what there is in the Nature of Things Themselves, which makes a vertuous Difpofition fo great a Help, and a vitious Inclination so great a Hindrance, to a right Understanding in matters of Religion.

THE fecond thing to be confidered, was, What there is moreover in the pofitive Appointment and Conftitution of God

I

by

by which we are affured that None of SER M. the Wicked ball understand, but the Wife II. (in oppofition to the Folly of Wickedness, i. e. the Righteous) shall underftand. And here the Scripture declares, ft, in general, that by fome means or other, by fome or other Method of Providence in the Government of the World, God will take care, that righteous and piously-difpofed persons shall attain to so much Understanding as is necessary for their own particular Salvation: That the Meek, God will guide in Judgment; and fuch as are gentle, them he will teach his way, Pf. xxv. 9. That God will give to a man that is good in his fight, Wisdom, and Knowledge, and Joy, Eccles. ii. 26. That though Heaven is his Throne, and Earth his Footstool, yet on fuch a one he will vouchfafe to look, even on him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at his Word, Ifa. lxvi. 1, 2. That if any man will do bis Will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, St Job. And 17. upon this are founded thofe frequent exhortations in Scripture, Prov. ii. 1, 5; My Son, if thou wilt receive my Words, and hide my Commandments with

vii.

VOL. III.

E

thee,

SERM. thee;

II.

then halt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the Knowledge of God;- -For the Lord giveth Wisdom,

he layeth up found Wisdom for the Righteous. Again, Eccluf. i. 26. If thou defire Wisdom, keep the Commandments, and the Lord fhall give her unto thee; For the Fear of the Lord is Wisdom and Inftruction, and Faith and Meekness are bis delight. St Jam. i. 5. If any of you lack and it Wifdom, let him ask of God, fhall be given him: And Ephef. v. 14. Awake thou that fleepest, and arife from the dead, (viz. from the Death of Sin,) and Chrift fhall give thee Light. St Paul himfelf was a great example of this Doctrine; whom, because of the fincerity of his Zeal, God was pleased to convert even by a Miracle : For having been so imposed upon as to think that Religion could be propagated by Perfecution and Violence, he justly stiled himself the greatest of Sinners. But yet for the fincerity of his Intention, the pious Centurion Cornelius was inftructed by an Angel fent from Heaven; and the Ethiopian Eunuch was taught by an Apostle fent to him on purpofe; And concerning all the Disciples,

when

when one of them afked our Lord, How SER M. is it that thou wilt manifeft thyself to Us, and not unto the World? He replied,

St Job. xiv. 23.

keep my Words,

If a man love me, he will and my Father will love bim, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

But 2dly, THE Scripture declares further, in particular, that, by the fecret af fiftance of his Holy Spirit, God will peculiarly direct and inlighten those that are truly fincere. I Job. ii. 20. Ye have an Unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. Again, Acts v. 32. -the Holy Ghost, which God has given to them that obey him: the Holy Ghoft, who is the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit given first to the Apostles, and afterwards to all good men in proportion, to lead them into all (that is, into all neceffary) Truth. And This, I fuppofe, is the meaning of thofe paffages of Scripture: The froward is an abomination to the Lord; but his Secret is with the righteous. Prov. iii. 32. The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his Covenant, Pl. xxv. 14. And Many are in high places,

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