Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A54657
|
Happy merchandise or Wisdoms excellency darkly discovered or rather greatly obscured by words without knowledge By Charles Phelps.
|
Phelpes, Charles.
|
1670
(1670)
|
Wing P1978; ESTC R218239
|
66,695
|
104
|
12. So Wisdome and understanding saith heare for I will speake of excellent things and hearken unto me ô ye children heare instruction and be wise Prov. 8. 6 32 34. this is the one and first thing needfull unto our finding and getting wisdome to heare the word of Christ Luc. 10. 39 42. Not to heare any thing or any word we are exhorted to cease to here the instructions that cause to erre from the words of knowledge Prov. 19. 27. and to take heed what we heare Mark 4. 24. but we are to heare Jesus and God in him as speaking to us by the holy Prophets and Apostles in the scriptures of truth and to this oftentimes are we called upon even to heare the words of the wise fastened by the masters of assemblies which are given from one shepherd Eccles 12. 10 11. Prov. 19. 20. and 22 17. Isay 55. 1 3. Act. 3. 22 23. Aswell as also 2. It is requisite as we heare to seek for this excellent commodity and search after it with our hearts yea with our whole hearts as we have the excellency and amiableness of it discovered to us such an applying or causing our heart to come unto this Wisdome as commended and the commendation heard is requisite as that we cry after Wisdome and lift up our voice for understanding that we seek her as silver and search for her as for hid treasures even with greatest desire and diligence and as those that judge happiness doth onely consist in having this treasure and without which we are undone and miserable for ever Prov. 2. 1 4. and so searching for it in all the scriptures of truth which are the veines as it were where this inriching and happy treasure may be had Joh. 5. 39. and in all ordinances and in the assemblies of Gods people Prov. 8. 34. and in so doing we shall finde it 3. And to our getting is requisite a selling all that we have when we have found it and buying or getting it into our hearts and possession according to that buy the truth and sell it not Wisdome instruction and understanding Prov. 23. 23. Matth. 13. 44 46. here lieth the stick with many persons and too much with us all we would have wisdome if we might part with nothing for it but keep our owne things still but this connot be if any man come unto me saith our saviour and hate not father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my disciple and whosoever he be of you speaking to his disciples and the multitudes that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple Luk. 14. 26 27 33. We are all too much like the young man who would faine have in herited eternall life when our saviour told him and said unto him One thing thou lackest goe thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and take up thy cross and follow me he was sad at that saing and went away grieved for he had great possessions Mark 10. 17 22. So it is too much with us if we might keep our owne things and have wisdome too if we could carry on these two designes to serve God and Mammon and could have Christ and love the world also then we could be content and this would please us but this cannot be we must deny our selves our bruitish lusts and desires aswell as also our wisdome righteousness love of the world and the things thereof the honour praise esteeme friendship and fellowship thereof and take up our cross and follow him yea the that loveth father or mother more then him is not worthy of him and he that loveth son or daughter more then him is not worthy of him and he that taketh not his cross and followeth after him is not worthy of him Matth. 10. 37 39. and 16. 24. we must sell all that we have all must be parted with that we may win Christ and be found in him not as if our things were so worthy as that we might deserve there by this heavenly wisdome nor are we to part with them as a valuable consideration for all the things we can desire are not to be compared to this pearle but our things will hinder us from having and obtaining Wisdome if we let them not goe therefore though we have no Worth nor wortiness yet we must buy wisdome though without money and price for no man can serve two masters we must part with our sins and idolls or otherwise we cannot get this Wisdome and understanding And if we take in the reading in the Margin happy is the man that draweth our understanding hereby may be meant 1. A drawing it out for our owne use and benefit and so diligence and labour of the inward man especially is to be used and exercised and hereby the Ho Ghost may have reference to the drawing out water out of a well or deep place and it is like that Isay 12. 3. therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation namely out of the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles false teachers are said to be wells without water there is nothing in them or in their doctrine to refresh and satisfy 2 Petr. 2. 17. but these teachers sent of God and who are even Gods mouth to us have water in their word doctrine and we are therefore to search thereinto for Wisdome and understanding and draw it out when we finde it Act. 17. 11. Or to draw it out as out of a vessell Joh. 2 8. 2 Corinth 4. 7. and so secondarily out of their words wo have beleived on Christ thorow the Prophets and Apostles words and have the word of reconciliation put into their hearts and mouthes Prov. 20. 5. And. 2. We are to draw out understanding for the good of others also and to the end we may be instruments for communicating it to others as the like Phrase is used Isay 58. 10. John 2. 8. Thus have we spoken to the finding and getting Wisdome and understanding what it is what supposed herein and needfull hereto according to my weakness 2. We come in the next place to note some instructions contained in this affirmation of the happiness of the man that findeth Wisdome and getteth or draweth out understanding As. 1. That men are naturally without this Wisdome and understanding 2. That yet men may finde this Wisdome and get or draw out this understanding 3. That the present time is the apportunity of finding and getting 4. He is and shall be an happy man that findeth and getting this Wisdome and understanding 1. That men are naturally without this Wisdome and understanding even destitute of Wisdome in the knowledge of Christ they are without Christ and all spirituall understanding Ephes 2. 12. A Wisdome indeed they have but such as is foolishness with God they are wise to doe evill and to pursue their drunken
their faces may not be ashamed Isay 42. 1 6 7. He is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world the light of the world Joh. 1. 9. and 8. 12. and 12. 46. and God in and by him giveth to all men liberally that whereby they may be made partakers of Wisdome Jam. 1. 5. And God in Christ by his spirit doth both discover unto men and give unto them Wisdome even the object of Wisdome and gives unto them some sight and opening of the eye to behold it in and thorow his testimonies in the holy scriptures the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple namely both rendring Christ precious unto them and opening the eye of their soules that they might know Christ and win him Psal 19. 7 8. the entrance of Gods words giveth light to discover that in knowing whereof we may be wise indeed and it giveth understanding unto the simple Psal 119. 129 130. My Father saith our saviour giveth you the true bread from heaven in receiving and eating where of they should be made wise but how should they receive this heavenly bread they as all men are were dead and without life in themselves and had no will to it nor strength to receive it to remove this discouragement our saviour addes the bread of God is he that cometh downe from heaven and giveth life to he world which hath none naturally this bread of Wisdome is the most excellent bread it is the bread of God living quickening bread it prevents them with life that have none aswell as preserveth them in life even unto eternall life that eat it but how doth this bread of God give live our saviour tells us in the word in which it is declared and commended to us the words saith he that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life Joh 6. 27 32 33 35 51 63. the spirit of Wisdome and revelation is given in the knowledge and gospell of Christ Ephes 1. 17. Christ was anointed with the holy spirit to preach the gospell or glad tidings of and concerning himselfe and therewith to preach recovery of sight to the blind to preach their eyes open and to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death Luk. 4. 18. and as he thus prevents men with the discovery of the excellency of himselfe and inlighteneth their eyes Prov. 29. 31. he then calls unto and upon them to looke unto and behold him and to come unto him to receive this instruction and Wisdome which he is giving unto them for no man can receive any thing except it be given him from above Ioh. 3. 27. and not silver and knowledge rather then choice gold Prov. 8. 6 10 11. to get Wisdome get understanding and not forget it neither decline from the words of his mouth in which Wisdome is brought and given to us Prov. 4. 4 8. and not onely doth Wisdome call and cry unto us but also she stretcheth for t her hand to help and strengthen us to receive it where the word of this king of kings is there is power Eccles 8. 4. he is not onely opening mens eyes in and by his gospell but also turning them from darkness to light and from the power of satan to God that men might come unto him Prov. 1. 20 24. Act. 26. 18. 22 23. he is in and by his law and doctrine converting the soule wither men be converted or no and yet to the end they might be converted and therefore calls upon them be ye converted not convert your selves be ye saved be ye reconciled to God be ye wise be ye of an understanding heart to signify to us that God is not wanting to men but is in and with his calls and by his gospell converting saving reconciling and making men wise and of an understanding hearth and therefore if they perish their destruction is of themselves Psal 19. 7. Act. 3. 19 Isay 45. 22. 2 Corint 5. 19 20 Prov. 8. 5. by all which it evidently appeareth that men may in due time finde Wisdome and get understanding 3. It also appeareth that men may finde and get Wisdome and understanding because he not onely hath prepared it for men in Christ and is giving it unto them in and with him but also he hath made and confirmed great and precious promises that in our seeking and searching for it as thus prevented we shall finde it and get it from this motive and argument our saviour exhorteth aske and ye shall receive seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Matth. 7. 7 8 11. To the same purpose the Wisdome of God speaketh if thou criest after Wisdome and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God For the Lord giveth Wisdome out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding Prov. 2. 1 6. the same incouragement also the Apostle James sets before the beleivers Ifany of you lack Wisdome let him aske of God that giveth liberally to all men and upbraideth not and it shall begiven him Jam. 1. 5. see also Joh. 4. 10. and 6. 27. Prov. 8. 14 17. many promises of this nature are proposed to us to the end we might seek and get Wisdome and faithfull is he that hath promised who also will doe what he hath promised according to the tenour thereof and these promises are now confirmed to us by the precious and incorruptible blood of Christ for in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2 Corint 1. 20. and he also who by his blood hath ratified and sealed them is alive and lives for evermore as the mediatour of the New Testament to take away our iniquities and give unto us in his fathers way all things that pertaine to life and godliness so as none that seek Wisdome or any other good thing shall be ashamed Hebr. 9. 14 15. Psal 69. 6. And this consideration that men may while called to day finde and get Wisdome and understanding as is in part thus evidenced may be usefull to us and usefully considered by us 1. To help us to cease to heare those instructions that cause to erre from the words of knowledge Prov. 19. 27. namely such instructions as whereby sinners intice us to cast in our lot amongst them and to walk in the way with them to run with them to the same excess of riot in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings c. Prov. 1. 10 20. 1 Petr. 4. 1 4. to have fellow ship with them in their unfruitfull workes of darkness Aswel as also to goe from the presence of such foolish and false teachers as have not in them the lip of knowledge Prov. 14. 7. both