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SERM. their power; but ftill a fincere affection to VII. wisdom, and strong refolution, would con

quer it; for the words of the prophet referred to Jer. xiii. 23. are not to be understood of a natural impoffibility, but a great difficulty occafioned by evil habits. It is prejudice only and corrupt affection which make the things of wisdom too high for a man.. To the upright heart and fincerely difpofed to embrace the instructions of virtue, its myfteries become very plain and familiar, Prov. xiv. 6. The fcorner feeketh wisdom, and findeth it not, but knowledge is eafy to him that underStandeth.

2dly, The love of wisdom. contributeth to our attaining it, as it is a difpofition highly pleafing to God, to which he hath made gracious promises, particularly of inftruction. We muft conceive of the fupreme being as a lover of virtue and goodness, of every thing which is truly amiable on the account of moral excellence; and if it be fo, he hath complacency in thofe of mankind, whofe affections are placed on the fame thing which is his delight. Original perfect wisdom loveth its own image in the crea tures, and even fuch a tendency towards it, as a high esteem, and earnest defire, and tranfcen

tranfcendent delight; for, as I obferved be- SER M. fore, these are the reality, at least, the be- VII. ginning of wisdom or true religious virtue itself. Now, if they who have this qualification are thereby entitled to the favour of God, it followeth that they are in the beft preparation for wifdom, and a continual advancement in proportion to the measure of their love to it; because he is the Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift. cometh down, and he hath commanded fuch as lack wifdom, to ask it from him, with a fincere love to it, who giveth liberally and doth not upbraid. As he communicateth freely of his bounty to all his creatures, and his mercies are over all his works, he will not be fparing of his gifts to the objects of his peculiar complacency, Wifdom is a gift which it is every way worthy of him, and congruous to his moral attributes, to beftow on thofe whom he delighteth to honour. Providence indeed difpenfeth its gifts very liberally, and with an undistinguishing hand, even to the unthankful and the evil; but wif dom is of a more peculiar nature, and a more certain mark of the divine favour, appropriated therefore to them who have a more especial intereft in his regard. As this is agreeable to the fentiments we naturally

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SER M. turally have of the Deity, the fcripture conVII. taineth exprefs promises of divine instruction

to you.

to fuch as are religiously disposed to receive it; and, as I obferved before, all pious dif pofitions are comprehended in the love of wisdom. Thus, in Prov. i. 23. Turn you at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my Spirit upon you, I will make known my words unThis promife, though fometimes mentioned in the Old Teftament, is more. clearly and exprefsly given in the New, and the advantages of it are more fully explained. There we are taught, that the Holy. Ghoft was fent down from heaven to inftruct finners, to convince the world of fin, of righteousness, and judgment; not only to inspire the apostles and affift them in an extraordinary manner for the confirmation of christianity, but to abide always in the christian church, to accompany the miniftration of righteoufnefs by his gracious influence, enlightening, the minds of men, reclaiming them from their errors, delivering them from their prejudices against the wif dom which is from above, and, in fine, operating powerfully on their minds, that good difpofitions may be formed in them, and carried on to perfection.

Thefe

These confiderations fhew, that as we SER M. have the greatest encouragements and ad- VII. vantages for attaining to wisdom, that is, to true and fincere religion, with the happy fruits of it by the chriftian difpenfation, and fince God worketh in us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure, we ought to use all diligence in humble and affectionate concurrence with him.

And, on the other hand, our remiffness, and our continuance in folly, will be altogether inexcufable. Since God hath put

fuch a price in our hands to get wisdom, no other account can be given of our coming fhort of it, but that we have no heart to it, Prov. xvii. 16.

SER

SERM.
VIII.

SERMON VIII.

DILIGENCE in feeking WISDOM always fuccessful.

PROVERBS VIII. 17.

Thofe that feek me early, fhall find me:

T

HE father of lights, from whom every good and perfect gift cometh down, beftoweth his mercies very freely on mankind; but his gifts are not all equal, nor do they equally require previous difpofitions and the ufe of preparatory means on our part. Our beings, with all the powers and capacities which belong to them, are derived from the divine bounty; and to them it can never be supposed that any merit, or any agency of ours, could have in the leaft contributed. We fee that the enjoyments of life, not only thofe which are abfolutely neceffary to its prefervation, but thofe which render it comfortable, are difpenfed by the indifcriminating hand of providence, and often in as large a measure to the unthankful and evil, as to the good

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