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SER M. gument, and fuch a chain of confequences as XX. in those sciences which are the inventions of men, how few would have been the better for it? And how would the greater part of mankind, which are the best disposed for vir tue and piety, been totally excluded; and no one would have been qualified for it, but the wife men of this world.

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There is no respect of perfons with God and they are ftrangely miftaken in thinking that he must value the wisdom and the knowledge of this world in the fame proportion that we do. Alas! our wifdom is as trifling and infignificant to him as our riches, which are only thick clay; and we make a very falfe judgment, when we fancy God must take the methods of our fystems in his revelations, and go about to prove to us by lines and figures that we ftand in need of fatisfaction, when we find ourselves grievous offenders; or that we stand in need of fome fupernatural affiftance, when we find ourfelves unable for the practice of virtue and holiness; that there are three perfons in the Godhead; that there are endless joys for good men, and everlasting torments for the damned in another world: had he done any thing of this nature, we might juftly have fufpected it for the inventition of men; but by this method children could not have attained to an early knowledge of religion, and fo the time for improvement in what was to qualify them for heaven would have been shortened:

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But the defign of God in his revelations SER M.. was the faving of fouls, and not gratifying the XX. curiofity and pleafing the imaginations of men; our religion is for practice and not for fpeculation, and therefore it was requifite it fhould be made up of fuch truths as are intelligible to every capacity; fuch as fall in with the plaineft reafon and moft natural fentiments of men; that the most ignorant might be capable of them, and the wife and prudent left inexcufable, and expofed to a juft condemnation for overlooking and defpifing of them.

Having thus gone through what I defigned from the words, I fhould proceed to make fome inferences from what hath been faid; but the time not permitting me, I fhall only make fome application in fhort to the two dif ferent forts of people mentioned in my text, And,

I. To the first fort I shall give St. Paul's advice, that they become fools that they may be wife; this is a precept peculiar indeed to christianity, but hath a fignification beyond all the wisdom of the heathens; and the meaning is, that they have a more moderate opinion of that knowledge and wisdom that is fo much esteemed among men, and employed about the perishing things of this world; and bend their thoughts towards thofe things which concern the future well-being of foul and body and for ever; this is every where in fcripture called wisdom, in oppofition to the learn

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ER M. learning, and prudence, and cunning that is XX. fo much admired in temporal affairs; and the

reafon of it is, because how fharp, and cunning, and prudent, how wife and learned foever men are in the things of this world, it all dies and perishes with them; they leave it all behind them, and it will be of as little use to them then as their money. But the knowledge of those truths which are the great concernments of our fouls, follows them into another world.

True wifdom confifts in forecaft, and the greatest point of it is for men to provide for the worft; he is the wifeft man who looks fartheft, and confiders what things will end in, what will be the final iffue of all worldly things, and what fhall be his last state and condition. And that is truly folly which leaves all this to a venture, and makes no provifion against the evil day, but fixes all his thoughts upon the prefent, and is intent only upon the perishing things of this world: This is folly or rather defperate madness, and there is nothing on this fide hell can express įt; it is as if a man were bufy in drawing a scheme when he is going to execution; or as if a person should be follicitous about a drefs, when the house is all on fire about him; and employ all his thoughts only that he might be burnt in a gawdy garb.

II. But fecondly, as to thofe who are Babes in the fenfe of the text, to whom these things of falvation are faid to be revealed, let them

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not be discouraged or perverted from the truth, SER M. because they see it hath fo little effect upon XX.

the rich, and great, and wife men of the world; and because that men of wit, and learning, and parts defpife it, and expose our christian mysteries; let them not be dismayed as if it were a new or a strange thing; it was ever fo from the firft preaching of the Gofpel, that these things were hid from the wife and prudent, and revealed unto Babes: It is the very nature of the Gospel, and it is the effect of infinite wisdom that it should be fo.

Nor need we wonder fo much at the degeneracy of the age, and fancy immediately that the church of God muft fail; for infidelity and atheism are the natural refult of plenty and ease, and those who move in a higher sphere among men, were always most subject to impiety and profanefs, and a difregard to all religion; and it will be fo to the end of the world: And he hath warned us of this beforehand, that we might not be staggered, and take any offence from thence or prejudice to christianity.

Though the preaching of the cross is foolishnefs to them, yet to us it is the power of God. Notwithstanding they endeavour to pervert our faith, and corrupt the Gospel both in their practice and converfation; yet these fecrets of God shall be among them that fear him, and he will fhew them his covenant, and the truth of God fhall prevail in the end; deftroy the wisdom of the wife,

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for God will and bring to

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SERM.nought the understanding of the prudent. Let XX. us therefore, with our Saviour, here blefs and

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magnify the holy name of God, that be bath thus hid these things from the wife and prudent, and revealed them unto Babes; fuch as are best qualified to be his children, and heirs of his glorious kingdom in heaven; that he hath not made any ftock of worldly knowledge, or learning, or great quicknefs of parts and apprehenfion neceffary to falvation; but a plain honeft heart, and a fincere induftrious mind that he hath not regard to the perfons of men in the revelations of his will, but had refpect to the humble and meek, and made humility and fincerity the only neceffary qualifications for the reception of the Gofpel. Let this cheer up our fpirits, and excite our diligence, and confirm our faith of all the mysteries of chriftianity, in oppofition to thefe men of the world; for, when Chrift fhall deftroy the wifdom of the wife, bleffed, ever bleffed fhall they be who are not offended in him.

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