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fufed, I have ftretched out my hand, and no SER M. man regarded it; but ye have fet at nought_XI.

all my counfels, and would none of my reproof; I will also laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as defolation, and your deftruction as a whirlwind, when diftrefs and anguifh cometh upon you; then shall you call upon me, but I will not anfwer; they shall seek me early, but shall not find me; for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord; they would none of my counsel, they defpifed all my reproof; therefore fhall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. These threaten ings in their full meaning are certainly intended against obftinate incorrigible finners; but even lower degrees of difrespect to the appointed means of instruction are faulty, which yet do not amount to an utter hatred of knowledge and rejec ting the fear of the Lord. As it is very plain that Chriftianity requireth our affembling together for the purposes of worship, I cannot but obferve, that fome chriftians neglecting it so much as they do, fheweth too great an indifference to the injunctions of our Lord, and to the defign of fuch affemblies. This is fo much the rather to

SERM. be taken notice of because it hath for fome
XI. time been growing among the proteftants

of our denomination. Perhaps fome may
think they cannot expect any great im-
provement in knowledge by the public in-
ftructions; yet their declining them is an,
offenfive example, tending to bring them
into disesteem and difufe among others who
both need and may receive information by
them in matters of the greatest moment.
Befides, a well-difpofed mind may bear (and
think it no difagreeable entertainment) to
be stirred up by way of remembrance, by
the repeating and inculcating useful truths.
And confidering the many avocations we
have from pious exercises, it may not be
unprofitable for the best and wisest, jointly
with their fellow-chriftians, at fet-times to
engage their folemn attention to the things
of religion, and endeavour to excite good
affections in themselves, which may contri-
bute to their defence against the returning
temptations of the world. On these ac-
counts, I cannot but with, for their own.
fakes, and for the common edification of
the churches, that chriftians were more ear-
neft and conftant in attending the public
inftructions of wisdom, and watching at her
gates.

SER

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SERMON XII.

Walking with WISE MEN, a MEANS of attaining to WISDOM.

PROVERBS XIII. 20.

He that walketh with wife men, fhall be wife.

I'

Have proposed to your confieration, from SER M. feveral paffages in this book, fome ne- XII. ceffary qualifications and rules in order to our attaining true wisdom, and to our eftablishment and growth in it: The last I infifted on, was, the diligent use of the means God hath instituted for this end. Divine wisdom crieth, and understanding hath lifted up her voice, as this author fpeaketh, that is, God hath given a gracious revelation of his will, fent meffengers into the world, and established a public order for the inftruction and reformation of men; and on our part the most fubmiffive respect is due to his appointed method; hearing, watching at the gates of wisdom, and waiting daily at the posts of her doors; or a U 3

reverent

SER M. reverent attendance on the folemnities of reXII ligion, receiving with a fincere purpose of conforming our lives to it; all which we fhall find upon an impartial enquiry to be the will of God, and hoping with an earnest expectation, and patient waiting, for the invaluable benefits he hath promised to communicate to men by the methods of his grace.

I propofe now to confider it as a good expedient for our becoming virtuous, and increafing in virtue, that we should defignedly, and of choice, affociate with virtuous perfons, and fhun as infectious the fociety of the wicked. He that walketh with wife men, shall be wife. I fhall,

I. Endeavour to fhew you what it is to walk with wife men, in the fenfe of this text.

II. The influence of it to our attaining wifdom.

First, What it is to walk with wife men; and I take it to fignify, that we should chufe perfons of that character for our intimate friends, and voluntarily join in their company and converfation. A man may be carried, or forced to go, contrary to his inclinations;

but

but walking is the motion which one SER M. choofeth. As the general tenor of a man's XII. defigns, and the course of his free actions, is, by the facred writers, defcribed under the notion of his walk; to walk with a perfon, in their ftile, denoteth a friendly communication and delightful fociety, taking him into our councils, intimating our difficulties to him, feeking his advice, and depending on his aid.

Thus it is, that the fervants of God walk with him, and, in proportion to their capacity of mutual good offices, fo they walk with one another. It followeth then, that a mere involuntary prefence with the vicious, or being unwillingly deprived of the fociety of the good, is not a trefpafs against the rule here recommended. The first of thefe cafes will not make us thofe companions of the wicked, who are threatened with deftruction in the laft words of this verfe, the companion of fools fhall be destroyed; nor is the other, being neceffarily and unavoidably deprived of the fociety of good men, a culpable neglect of the means to get wif dom. Providence may appoint a good man's ftation among finners, perhaps, for the trial of his integrity, or that he may be a witness against their crimes. Noah had the affliction

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