increase their earthly substance and meane time when a price is put into their hands for getting Wisdome they have no heart thereto they can neglect opportunities for getting this spirituall commodity and then cry there is a lion in the way I shall be slain in the streets they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth Jerem. 9. 3. but are fearfull and afraid of sufferings shame and reproach for Christs sake ashamed of him and his words in an evill and adulterous generation What will become of such in the end Christ will be ashamed of such when he cometh in his owne glory and in the glory of his father and in the glory of his holy Angells Luk. 9. 23 16. with Mark 8. 34 38. this is that whiâ—h is greatly provoking to God he was wroth with those who when they were invited to come into Wisdoms house and eat of her provision made light of the invitation and went one to his farme another to his merchandise Yea protests that none of them shall taste of his supper Matth. 22. 4-7 with Luk. 14. 16-24 oh that we may so consider it that we may walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise redeeming the time for-getting Wisdome because the dayes are evill Ephes 5. 15 17. 2. And let us all be exhorted seeing Wisdome is the principall thing to get it and with all our gettings to get understanding And to move hereto consider further The gaine of Wisdome and understanding is better then that of fine gold of the choicest and most refined gold and so better then the gaine of all earthly riches though the gaine of gold if it be honestly gotten and to a good end laboured for that we may honour the Lord with our substance and with the first fruits of our increase and live to him that died for us and rose againe is good Yet the gaine of spirituall Wisdome is better and more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold and better then all the gainfull things here below and so have wise men accounted it Philip. 3. 7 8 9. It is admirably and inexpressibly better Prov. 16. 16. it is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come as is said of godliness And indeed this Wisdome and Godliness are the same The root and foundation of Godliness is God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit the meanes and medium for making it knowne and manifesting it and giving and dispensing it is the gospell especially as preached by the Apostles The exercising our selves to godliness is beleiving with the heart on Christ as delivered to death for our offences and raised againe for our justification and glorified as this t s declared to us in the gospell 1 Tim. 4. 8. with Chapt. 3. 16. 1. The gaine of it is better now by it there is profit to them that see the sun Eccles 7. 11. For 1. It gives all things that pertaine to life and gives life to them that get it even spirituall and eternal life now by faith and a first fruits of the Spirit and all contained therein which silver and gold cannot doe Wisdome is a defence money is a defence but the excellency of knowledge is that Wisdome giveth life to them that have it Eccles 7. 12. hereby the Holy Ghost doth evidence that the gaine of Wisdome is better then fine gold and therefore proposeth it as a motive to move and prevaile with us to seek and get it She is a tree of life to all that lay hold on her Prov. 3. 17. And this is contained in the blessedness they meet with and partake of that seek and finde her Whoso findeth her findeth life Prov. 8. 32. 35. As 1. It giveth unto those that finde Wisdome the forgiveness of sins by Christ all that beleive are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Act. 13. 39. And this forgiveness of sins is included in eternall life and therefore eternall life is opposed to condemnation and in having that a man passeth from death to life Joh. 5. 25. and being justified from their sins by the blood of Christ much more shall they be saved from wrath even from the wrath of God thorow him Rom. 5. 9. Hereinits gaine is greatly preferred before fine gold and all the riches of this World riches profit not in a day of wrath but righteousness delivereth from death Prov. 10. 2. and 11. 4. Neither mens silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath Zephan 1. 18. their riches will not procure them a pardon from God though they may from the Man of sin nor deliver them from his anger and the dreadfull and direfull effects thereof their money will not obtain the remission of their sins when they come to dye nor give them peace with God nor will this deliver in the day of wrath But men shall then cast their idolls of silver and gold to which they have given their loves and worship to the moles and to the bats to goe into the clefts of the rocks and into the tops of the ragged rocks for feare of the Lord they shall then cast their silver into the streets and their gold shall be removed or shall be as uncleaness their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath Isay 2. 19 21. Ezeck 7. 19. But this is the gain of Wisdome In finding and winning Christ a man also receives remission of sins and deliverance from Gods wrath and the feares thereof So as being justified by faith he hath peace with God thorow our Lord Jesus Rom. 4. 25 and 5. 1. To him give all the Prophets witness that thorow his name whosoever beleiveth in him shall receive the remission of sins Act. 10. 43. 1 Joh. 5. 11 12. And oh what a blessed priviledge is this It is even the summe of all blessedness Even as David describeth the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputes righteousness without works saying blessed in the Man whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sin is eovered Psal 32. 1 2. with Rom. 4. 5 7. And it is also the inlett unto all Salvation He giveth the knowledge and injoyment of salvation thorow the forgiveness of sins Luk. 1. 77. Psal 103. 1 3. Herethorow they receive salvation and deliverance from his anger the power whereof who knoweth Psal 90. 11 12. The wrath of this King of Kings is as messengers of death but a wise man will pacify it How not by fine gold but to this end how much better is it to get Wisdome then gold Prov. 16. 14-16 2. It gives to men the Spirit of life even that living quickning Spirit which is Wisdoms Spirit this money wil not get or give It was an heinous provoking iniquity in Simon Magus to offer money for the Holy Spirit and
admonisheth us elsewhere to cease from our owne Wisdome Prov. 23. 4. and not to leane to our owne understanding Prov. 3. 5. and to beware of Philosophy and vaine deceit c. Colos 2. 8. and telleth some that their Wisdome and knowledge had perverted them Isay 47. 10. and it is his purpose to destroy the Wisdome of the wise and to bring to nought the understanding of the prudent and them that leane to and rely on it 1 Corinth 1. 19 21. and 2. 6. and those led of God came not with excellency of speech or of Wisdome declaring the testimony of God for the Wisdome of words maketh the cross of Christ of none effect 1 Corinth 2. 1. and 1. 17. this Wisdome is foolishness with God and it is so farre from helping us to understand and know Gods name or his sons name as that it is an hindrance thereto and therefore that we may be wise it is needfull that we become fools and lay aside and cease from our Wisdome and understanding But the Wisdome and understanding here commended to us and that which will render us happy in the injoyment of it is the Wisdome that is from a bove which is first pure then peace able c. Jam. 3. 17. even the Wisdome of God and not that of our owne according to that my son attend unto my Wisdome and bow thine eare unto my understanding Prov. 5. 1. and so hereby is meant and signified to us 1. Jesus Christ the Son of God in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily in whom dwelleth the father and on whom rests the holy Spirit And he is so called 1. As he is the Son of God by divine and eternall generation so where as in one place it is said the Lord by Wisdome founded the earth by understanding hath he establisht the heavens in another it is said he created all things by Jesus Christ Compare Prov. 3. 19. with Ephes 3. 11. Hebr. 1. 2. and of this Wisdome even of Christ in this consideration of him it is said by himselfe the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was when there were no depths I was brought forth when there were no fontaines abounding with water c. Prov. 8. 23 32. 2. And he is so called and may be comfortably viewed by us as Wisdome as he was abased for us and tooke our nature upon him when we had sinned and departed from God and as he was crucified for us and by the grace of God tasted death for every man and is raised againe according to the scriptures so Christ is the Wisdome of God and power of God 1 Corinth 1. 22 24. so when the Apostle saith that he came not with excellency of speech or of Wisdome declaring the testimony of God that the beleivers faith might not stand in the Wisdome of men but in the power of God He addeth howbeit we speak Wisdome among them that are perfect yet not the Wisdome of this world nor of the princes of this world that come to nought But we speak the Wisdome of God in a mystery even the hidden Wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory which none of the princes of this world knew for had they knowne they would not have crucified the Lord of glory Where it appeareth that Jesus Christ the Lord of glory is the Wisdome which they preached 1 Corinth 2. 1 8. with 2 Corinth 4. 5. and so this excellent one calls himselfe Wisdome and understanding Prov. 8. 12 14. compare Matth. 23. 34. with Luc. 11. 49. and he is called Wisdome and understanding 1. Because he is the great cleare and comfortable evidence and manifestation of the Wisdome of God here it is brightly discovered and may chearfully be viewed in the cross of Christ Jesus He did by Wisdome make the heavens and give a being to all things and in his workes of creation it may be seen by us but this invention of his is a greater and clearer discovery of his infinite Wisdome and unsearchable understanding For in his first creating us there was nothing contrary to his worke But unto his shewing mercy to us where we were fallen there was somwhat in the way stood cross and contrary his justice which was provoked by us must be satisfied his truth fulfilled his law which we had transgressed must be answered and his wrath appeased our sin must be purged away our death died overcome and abolished and all creatures were insufficient for these things no man could redeeme his brother by any meanes nor give to God a ransome for his owne soule Psal 49. 6 7. righteousness could not come by the law Galat. 2. 21. not could any creature in heaven or earth divise a meanes for the helpfullness of us this Wisdome was hid from the eyes of all living Job 28. 12 22. this passed the understanding of men and Angells Philip. 4. 7. but herein appeared the manifold and unsearchable Wisdome of God who in the exercise thereof hath devised a meanes that his banished should not be utterly expelled from him 2 Sam. 14. 14. Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit 1 Timot. 3. 16. there is hidden and wonderfull Wisdome contained therein that the creatour should become a creature that the word that was God should be made flesh that the everlasting father should thus become a son and the mighty God a child yea that he who was the holy one of God yea holiness it selfe should be made sin for us that God should lay downe his life for us and all this to so gracions an end not to condemne the world but that thorow him the world might besaved here in was admirable and unsearchable Wisdome and here in we may clearely and comfortably see that the creatour of the ends of the earth fainteth not nor is weary there is no searching of his understanding that so when we walk in darkness and see no light we might trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon our God Isay 40. 27 29. hence he as our saviour is said to be the onely wise God Jude 25. hence also the Apostle when he had said this is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners persently addes Now unto the king eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God be honour c. 1 Tim. 1. 15 17. Hee hath herein evidenced himselfe to be the alone and onely wise God in finding out such a way for the delivering us from so great a death and curse and from the hand of all our enemies and for the treasuring up all the fullness of forgiveness grace and spirit in Christ that we sinfull creatures of mankind might be brought back to God 2. Christ Jesus is also said to be Wisdome and
to have Perished in it for ever We were accursed creatures and helpless in our misery as is evident in that he hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us Psal 49. 6 7. Galat. 3. 13. yea in that he died for our sake that he might obtaine eternall redemption and in him dwelleth all fullness He is made of God Wisdome and righteousness herein appeareth that we were destitute of all good empty creatures Job 11. 12. that we have no Wisdome in us naturally no light in our understandings no freedome of will to any thing that is spiritually good no affection desire or inclination to the things that belong to our peace no spark of Gods image left in us but we are destitute thereof and inclined to all that is evill all have sinned and come short of the glory of God While we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly While we were yet sinners neither righteous nor good Christ died for us Rom. 5. 6 8. In him we may behold the vileness of sin so as to abhorre it and that it may be an abomination to our soules in that God hath so punished and condemned it in the person of Christ Jesus who knew no sin Rom. 8. 3. He was wounded or tormented for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities such was the odiousness of sin to God as that when it was but imputed to his son he spared him not but it pleased the lord to bruise him he hath put him to griefe Were this considered by us it would be powerfull to cause us to say how shall we live any longer in sin for which our saviour suffered so great and in expressible sorrowes Esa 53. 4 10. Rom. 8. 32. and 6. 1 2 3. and 4. 25. 1 Petr. 3. 18. Aswell as also in Christ we may perceive the greatness of the sin of not beleiving on Christ who by the grace of God tasted death for every man and is raised againe and is become such a good foundation and object of faith that mens faith and hope might be in God Joh. 16. 8 9. 1 Petr. 2. 6 7 8. he that beleiveth not God hath made him a liar because he beleiveth not the record that God gave of his son and this is the record that God hath given to us eternall life he that beleiveth not that God hath given to him eternall life in Christ Jesus hath made God a liar and is therefore condemned and the wrath of God abideth on him while he abideth in un beleife 1 Joh. 5. 10 11. Joh. 3. 16 18 36. if Christ died for the fewest of mankind onely it would be no sin in the greatest part for whom he died not not to beleive on Christ Yea they would beleive a lye in so doing but this is an ungodly conception for Christ died for all and rose againe that all men thorow him might beleive Joh. 1. 7. and 17. 21 23. In Christ also we may see the unprofitableness of our workes of righteousness that we might not have Confidence therein Joh. 16. 10. Corint 1. 29 30. if righteousness could have come by the law by the Workes or sacrifices there of then Christ died in vaine Galat. 2. 21. hence the Apostle though he was Concerning the righteousness of the law blameless yet what things were gaine to him the Priviledges and workes of the flesh those he counted loss for Christ Yea doubt less saith he and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and doe count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousness which is of the law but that which is thorow the faith of Christ c. Philip. 3. 4. 9. 't Is he and he onely that hath brought in everlasting righteousness thorow his personall abasement and sufferings even the righteousness of God without the law which was witnessed by the law and the Prophets but is now manifested by the faith of Christ to be unto all and upon all them that beleive for there is no difference Dan. 9. 26. Rom. 3. 21. 22. In Christ we may see death even the first death which was the wages of our first departure from God so as not to feare it nor any afflictions weaknesses sicknesses which are fore runners and branches of it and which God is now ordering to us while it is called to day For Jesus Christ our Saviour hath by the grace of God tasted this death for every man and hath overcome and abolished it taken out the sting and destructive nature out of it so as that now there is no hurt in it nothing in it to separate us from te love of God or keep us out of heaven nor shall any man perish therein for ever but all shall in due time be raised out of it by him who died for all and rose againe Christ hath in overcoming this death made it a shadow it is not the lively image of what sometimes it was 2 Tim. 1. 10. Gal. 3. 13. Psal 23. 4. Yea not onely so but he the great God and our Saviour hath turned our curses into blessings and the afflictions and corrections he is ordering are ordered to a gracious end as is before shewne In Christ also this havenly Wisdome we may see life even our naturall life how it is procured for us and by what meanes we have a comfortable injoyment of it and of Gods mercies even by Christ who gave his flesh for the life of the World Joh. 6. 51. in him is life and the life is the light of men Joh. 1. 4. Had he not laid downe his life for us we could have had no comfortable injoyment of our lives or of Gods creatures but had been alwayes and altogither accursed and miserable and all our life time thorow feare of death subject to the bondage of Satan Hebr. 2. 14. 15. But he hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3. 13. and 4. 4 with Rom. 3. 19. And here we may also see to what end our lives are preserved and continued that to us to live might be Christ He died for all that they which live might not hence forth live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose againe this was the very end of Christs suffering for us in the flesh that we might thereby cease from sin and thorow his grace that bringeth salvation to all men might live not to the lusts of men but to the will of God 2 Corinth 5. 15. 1 Petr. 4 1 3. 1 Joh. 4. 9. In this Wisdome we may know who are borne of God and so made of the elect and chosen generation even all such and onely such who are of yeares of capacity and where the