Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1

Take a carnal man, either in Magistracy, or Ministry; if he be not humbled with pains in his calling, and with the Word that he teacheth: what doth he most hate in the world? what doth he oppose? is there anything but saving grace? is there anything but that which God loves most, and which is best for his soul that is the object of his spite, and of his poison and malice?

To be led by this is even as if a man should be led by a Pirate, by a thief, by an enemy: and what can become of that man? to be led as the fool to the stocks, as Solomon saith: he is in the way of death: There is a way that seemeth good to a man in his own eyes, but the issues of it are death, saith Solomon; and that is the way that carnal wisdom dictates to men.

It hinders also from the reforming of ill: Policy overthrows policy, as we say. Policy overthrows Common-Wealths. Tell a man that is in place, You ought to reform this abuse, and that abuse: he is ready to think, Oh, if I be not wary, others will inquire into my life too, and find me out.

So this cursed policy, this carnal wisdom, it makes men unfruitful in their places, by forecasting dangers, and so it hinders from doing good, and from reforming gross abominations and abuses.

So, it hinders from suffering when God calls to it: it forecasts; if you be Religious, you must suffer, it will bring your good name in question, it will bring your life in question, it will hazard your estate: Whereas indeed all the world is not worth the truth of God, and a man loves not his life that will not hate it in such a case; if it come to case of confession, and standing for the truth in a good quarrel.

But here fleshly wisdom objects this and that danger: as we see in Spira and others. And thus man yielding to fleshly wisdom, he grows desperate at length.

There are two men in a man (as it were) there is the flesh and the spirit. The flesh saith as Job's Wife said, Curse God and die, or Bless God and die, read it whether you will: there is the murmuring part in the cross, that bids us curse God: and as Peter said unto Christ, Oh save yourselves, this shall not befall you: pity yourself, have regard of yourself. The flesh when we are to suffer saith as Eve to Adam, as Job's wife to him, or as Peter to Christ, Oh spare yourself, be wise, be wise: And to color the matter the more, there must be a pretence of wisdom: when as it is the greatest folly in the world to redeem any earthly commodity, even life itself, with the cracking of conscience, with the breach of that peace which passeth understanding, and perhaps with the loss of our souls. It is the greatest folly in the world: it is to be penny wise, and pound foolish. So we see whensoever we are about to suffer, carnal wisdom hinders us. As it hinders us from good, and in good, and hinders us from reforming evil; and in suffering when we are called to it:

So it provokes us to evil: and that we may swallow down the evil with the greater pleasure, and more deeply, it colors ill with good. We may thank this politick carnal wisdom, that truth and goodness ever goes with a scratched face, that it goes under disgrace, that it goes in a contrary habit: and that hypocrisy goes in its ruffe, in its colors. I say we may thank carnal wisdom: for if truth were presented in its own view, it would stir up approbation from all. And if men could see vice, and wickedness uncased, if they could see it in its own hue, they would all detest it. Carnal wisdom sees that this is not for the advancing of the projects it hath, and therefore it disgraceth that which is good, and sets false colors on that which is ill.

I say, it stirs up to ill, and it keeps us in ill. Carnal wisdom saith, You may do this, you may continue thus long. It deceives us with vain hopes of long life.

I might enlarge the point. You see then what reason God's Children have, not to be ruled by fleshly carnal wisdom.

By the way, let me give this caution, That oftentimes that is accounted carnal wisdom that is not. The weaker sort, they are too blame ofttimes to lay imputations upon those that God hath given greater gifts to; and they account that carnal wisdom, that is not so, but is spiritual prudence. I must needs add that caution by the way: As for a man to keep his mind, and not to speak against evil in all places: The prudent man shall keep silent, saith the Prophet. The times, and the place may be such, that the prudent man may keep silence, it is best to do so.

And likewise to be cautelous to prevent danger so far as it may be without breach of a good conscience. Saint Paul, you know, when he was called before the Sadducees, and the Pharisees, he escaped by a shift, it was not a sinful shift; he said he was a Pharisee, and so he set them together, and they falling into contention, Saint Paul in the mean time escaped. Many things might be done, if we would take heed of carnal wisdom, and that with a great deal of wisdom and approbation too.

Jeroboam might have settled his Kingdom, and yet he need not have set up the two Calves in that cursed policy: it was foretold that he should have those Tribes, but he would be wiser then God, and he would devise a way of his own.

David might have escaped from Achish the King of Gath, he need not have made himself a fool. Achitophel might have provided well for himself under David his old Master, he need not have proved a Rebel. There is nothing that Carnal wisdom doth, but Heavenly wisdom will do it better if men could light on it; and God would give them better success in their carriage: but there is a way for heavenly prudence (I say,) and that must not be accounted carnal wisdom.

It is for want of this that people are too credulous. Gedaliah, he trusted too much, he was too credulous to trust, considering that men are subject to infirmities, and subject to falseness: it is good to be doubtful, to be suspicious sometimes: and it is no carnal wisdom neither. The very loadstone of a lie is credulity. What imboldens people to deal falsely with men? they know them to be credulous, and weak, they will believe anything.

But for the most part the error is on the contrary, over much jealousy. Your carnal Politicians are over-jealous: Jealousy is good, suspicion is good, considering that we live in a false world: but not to be over-jealous. We see Herod he thought, Oh, Christ is born; and out of Jealousy he kills a number of poor Infants, and his own among the rest. Alas, Christ came not to take away his Kingdom, but to give a heavenly Kingdom. So the Jews they were very jealous that if Christ were not condemned, the Romans would come and take away their Kingdom: but that which wicked men fear, out of such jealousy, shall come upon them. And so the subtilest, and most devilish men in late times that grounded the persecution of the poor Protestants, upon Jealousy, absurd Jealousy: for they by the rules of their Religion walk in sincerity, it ties them from plotting: and yet out of fear and jealousy, they excercised a world of cruelty against them.

And if any man shall but consider and read Stephen Gardener's letters (a man of a devilish jealousy,) to see out of his wit he projected what hurt would come by suffering the Gospel to remain, it will seem strange. Alas poor man, the Common-Wealths beyond the Seas, and our own Nation never prospered better then by entertaining the Gospel: yet this devilish witted man, whose wit was set, and sharpened by the Devil, was in fear and jealousy of the Gospel. And God usually punisheth it this way, that those subtle heads that are jealous of those that mean them no harm, but all the good that may be, usually, they are over-credulous in another kind; they trust those that deceive their trust: they trust those that the weakest, the very dregs of the people will not trust: they trust those that are notoriously false. God strikes their brains, and besots them, that they trust men that all the world know to be underminers: notwithstanding where they should trust, and cast themselves into the bosom of their true-hearted friends, there they are all full of fear and jealousy. But this caution by the way.

You see the thing proved, that Godly men when they give their names to God, they ought to be ruled by God, and not by carnal policy, or fleshly wisdom; you see the reasons of it.

The Use that we will make of it shall be to stir us up to imitation of the blessed Apostle S. Paul. I speak to them that their breeding and parts have raised many of them I hope from base filthy lusts: so that the danger is now of fleshly wisdom. The Devil is more in the brain then in the heart, as he said of a Cursed Politician. Many men have the Devil in their head: he is not altogether in the heart and affections, but in the brain, and there he works his engines; and politick subtle men, they are the great Engineers of Satan, and that which he cannot do by himself, he doth it by them.

Therefore, I beseech you, let us not be instrumental to Satan, who was the first author of this carnal wisdom: for by his temptation we offended God, and then came all shifts upon it. You see what shifts came presently upon Satan's temptation.

Man did naturally affect wisdom; to know good and evil: what wisdom did he get after he had fallen? he had wisdom to fly from God: there was his wisdom, to run from God: so all the wisdom of a man that hath not grace, it is to shift, to run away from God, and to have helps, and supports against God. A foolish thing it is; as if he could do it! And then another shift of Adam was to cover himself with fig-leaves, a silly shift. And then to translate his fault upon another. So, this shifting of carnal wit it came presently upon the fall. Take heed therefore of carnal wisdom, it is devilish: presently upon yielding to the temptation of the Devil it came in.

And that you may not make it your rule, and live by carnal wisdom; Consider seriously what I said before, how it hinders you from all that is good; how it hinders you from reforming that which is ill in your places and callings. How it stirs up to all that is ill. How it stirs you up to cover ill: it teaches you wit to do ill, and to cover ill when it is done. As we see in David's adultery, what a deal of wit there was to practice it: And then what a many windings and turnings there were to cover it: but God laid him open, and brought him to shame in this world, being a good man.

And as I said, Who will be ruled by his enemy? If a man be on the land, and be ruled by a thief that will lead him out of his way, it is extremity of sottishness. Or if he be on the Sea, and be guided by a Pirate, what good can come to that man that is ruled by those that seek his ruin? Now if a man be ruled by carnal wisdom, he is ruled by his enemy: and if all the enemies in the world should plot to do a man that mischief, that his own head and carnal wit doth him; he would cry out of them. In Jer. 47. Thy wisdom hath made thee to rebel. It is wisdom that makes men to rebel against God; too much trusting to tricks and shifts of carnal wisdom, it makes men take contrary courses to God, and so provoke him. Are we wiser then he? are we stronger then he? Doth he not daily, and continually make those the butts of his displeasure and wrath, that adventure their wisdom and policy against his wisdom? Yes surely, God delights to catch the wise in their own craftiness: he delights to overturn the builders of Babel: It is but a building of Babel to rear anything by politick wisdom contrary to the rules of religion, and contrary to the practice of piety; to do anything against conscience and honesty: to do anything against the truth by politick shifts, it is to build a Babel that will fall upon our own heads. It is like the foolish fire that leads a man out of his way. This foolish fire of carnal wisdom, it leads men to hellish strength: it makes them forsake God's light and the light of his Spirit and Word, and follow a false light of their own Imagination and invention. And therefore you see what the Prophet Isaiah saith of the people that were in those times, Isaiah 50. that did much plod in tricks of policy, Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled: this ye shall have of my hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow, So, consider this, it falls out ofttimes, that God suffers a man to walk in the light of his own fire that he hath kindled, and in his own comforts: he will have comforts and a distinct way from God's ways: and he will have distinct rules from God's rule: well, well, you have kindled a fire, walk in the light of your own fire, but be sure you shall lie down in sorrow.

It is the greatest judgment that God can show in this world, to give us up to our own wits, to our own devices: for we shall wind and turn, and work our own ruin. And that is the hell of Hell in hell, when the soul there shall think with itself, I brought myself hither; God will be exceedingly justified when men by their own wit shall damn themselves. When God hath revealed to man, & taught them, this is the way, O man, I have shown thee what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee; he hath revealed it in his Word, do this, and do that, and he hath given conscience to help; and yet out of policy to contrive thy own pleasures, and profits, and advantages in the world, thou hast done the contrary. When a man's soul shall reason thus: My own wit brought me hither, I am damned by wit, I am damned by policy: a poor policy it is that brings a man to damnation.

Therefore we should beg of God above all things, that he would not deliver us up to ourselves. As Saint Austin hath a good speech, Lord, free me from myself, from my own devices and policy. The devil himself is not such an enemy (as I said) as our own carnal wit: for it is that that betrays us to Satan: Satan could do us no harm, unless he had a friend within us. Therefore beg of God above all things, Lord, give me not up to my own brain, to my own devices: (for man is a beast by his own knowledge) but let thy wisdom, and thy will be my rule.

Again, if so be that we ought not to make this carnal fleshly wisdom the rule of our life, then let us have a negative voice ready presently for it: whensoever we find any carnal suggestion in our hearts, say nay to it presently, deny it presently: have a jealousy presently when any plot ariseth that is not warrantable by the Word of God, and that is contrary to conscience, and to simplicity and sincerity, presently deny it; consult not with flesh and blood, as Saint Paul saith of himself, Gal. 1. I consulted not with flesh and blood.

And when you have anything to do, (Considering that this is not the rule you are to live by,) or when you have anything to resist; when you have anything to suffer. Consider what God requires; consider what is for the peace of conscience: consider what is for the good of yourselves, and for the good of the Church: consult with these advisers, with these intelligencers, and not with flesh and blood. Consider not what is for your profit, for your pleasure, for your ease: but resolve against them. Get the truth of God so planted in your hearts, that it may carry you through all these impediments, and all these suggestions whatsoever.

And because we cannot do this without a change, we cannot have a disposition contrary to carnal wisdom without a change: (for except a man be born anew, except he be a new creature, he cannot have holy aims:) you must labor therefore more and more to have the spirit of your mind renewed, and to grow in assurance of a better estate: for what makes men carnally to project for this world? they are not sure of a better. They reason thus with themselves, It may be I may have heaven, it may be not; I am sure of the pleasures present, of the profits present, (although alas, it be but for a short time:) whereas if thy soul were enlightened with heavenly light, and thou wert convinced of the excellent estate of God's Children in this world in the state of grace; That a Christian is incomparably above all men in the first-fruits of heaven, in the peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost: which is above all prosperity, and all profit whatsoever. And that in heaven (which is above our capacity and reach) every way they shall be happy: if men were convinced of this, certainly they would not prostitute their pates to work so worldly. If they were sure of heaven, they would not so plod for the earth.

Let us therefore labor to grow daily in the assurance of salvation, beg of God his Spirit to have your minds enlightened.

And withal (to join both together) to see the vanity of all earthly things, which set carnal wisdom on work. For first, outward things they work upon the sense, upon the outward man: profits and pleasures are outward things, and therefore they work upon sense, they work upon opinion: in opinion they be so (as indeed worldly things are more in opinion then in truth). A carnal worldly man, he thinks poverty a hell, he thinks it is such a misery: it is not so.

Labor to have a right judgmenr of the things of the earth that set carnal wisdom on work, to avoid poverty, to avoid suffering for a good cause. The Devil inflames fancy; fancy thinks it is a great hurt to be in poverty; fancy thinks it is a great good to be in honor, to be in credit, to have great place, that other men may be beholding to us. Alas, get a sanctified judgment to see what these things be that set our wits on work. What are all these things? Vanity, and vexation of spirit.

Let our meditations walk between these two; often think of the excellent estate of a Christian in this world, and in the world to come; and that will set heavenly wisdom on work, it will make you plot, and be politick for heaven. And then withal see the vanity of all other things, of pleasures, and honors, and profits, and whatsoever, that we may not prostitute our souls to them which are worse then ourselves; that our souls may not set themselves on work to project and proule for these things that are worse then themselves.

Let this be your daily practice; the meditation of these two things is worthy to take up your cogitations every day: To consider the vanity, the vexation, and uncertainty that accompanies all these things, when you have got them: as we see in Ahab, when he had gotten the Vineyard. Besides the vanity of th •… , consider how you have gotten them, and how miserable will you judge yourselves presently? How doth God meet with the carnal wits of men in the attaining of things? The wicked man shall not roast that which he took in hunting. He hunted after preferment, he hunted after riches, to scrape a great deal for his posterity: how doth God deal with such? he overthrows them utterly: and his posterity perhaps they spoil all: Himself roasted not that which he took in hunting. Ahab got much by yielding to the carnal wisdom of Jezebel, Hast thou gotten, and also taken possession? What became of Ahab with all his plots and devices?

Achitophel and others God may give them success for a while, but afterward he gives them the overthrow. Herod, he had success a while in killing of James, and therefore he thought to work wisely and get Peter too; God struck him with Worms. Pharaoh in the overthrow of God's people, saith he, Let us work wisely. How wisely? they were overthrown and drowned themselves: their wisdom brought them into the midst of the Sea: Consider the vanity of earthly things. And then consider how just it is with God to cross them either in their own time; as the rich fool in the Gospel, when he had riches for many years, This night shall they take away thy soul. That we may not walk according to the false rules of fleshly wisdom, let us oft think of these things.

And to add another thing out of the Text; You see here that S. Paul rejoiced in this, That his conscience could witness that he had not walked in fleshly wisdom: so if you do not walk according to the rules of fleshly wisdom, you shall have this benefit, your conscience shall glory in it.

To make it clear to you: Take in your thoughts, a Politician upon his Death-bed that hath striven so much for riches, that hath striven to root himself by policy, to attain to such and such places, to obtain his pleasure and delights in the world: what glory, what comfort hath he in this? There is nothing more opposite to comfort then plotting: for, as I said before when I spake of simplicity, the more will there is, the more deliberation and plotting there is in sin, the more is the sin; because it is done cooly, as we say: so of all persons usually (if their wits be their own) the greatest plotters die most desperately. For then their conscience tells them, that they have set their wits on the rack, to do this mischief, and that mischief, and here his comfort is cooled, his peace of conscience is broken. What comfort can there be, when that which he sinned for, that which he broke the peace of his conscience for, that is gone, and he must be taken and hurried away from that; but the wound of conscience, the crack of conscience that remains forever: when he shall think, That for which I sinned is vanished, but my terror abides forever?

A man therefore that walks after the rules of fleshly wisdom, he can never say with S. Paul, I rejoice. But on the contrary, let a man be able to witness to himself, as S. Paul could: At such a time my fleshly subtle wisdom would have discouraged me from doing good: and the wisdom of flesh and blood in others would have discouraged me from reforming such and such abuses; but I knew it was my duty, and I did it; here now is comfort. At such a time I was moved to such evil by flesh and blood in myself, or perhaps in others (as a man shall never want the Devil in his friends: the Devil comes to us in our nearest friends,) but I had the grace to withstand it: I was not led by such, and such rule •… by my acquaintance, or by my own devices; but I had grace to resist such motions: What a wondrous comfort is this?

There is nothing so sharp in conflict as this, To resist Carnal wisdom, it is the shrewdest temptation that is from carnal wisdom: and as the Temptation is the strongest, so the comfort is answerable. When Jezebel shall be offered with her enticements, with her colors, with her paint; and a man can dash her in pieces, and cast her out of the window, when a man can maintain sincerity and honesty, what a comfort is this? The greater, and stronger the temptation is that is resisted, the more is the comfort, when we come to yield our souls to God, when we come to our account. Therefore be not discouraged, when you are set upon by Carnal wisdom, by strong reasons of others, or subtle reasons of your own: is it against the rule? is it against Conscience? is it against the Word? withstand it: that which is sharpest in the conflict, will be sweetest in the comfort.

Again, if so be that Carnal, fleshly, worldly wisdom (for it is all one, for the flesh is led by the world, and both co •… spire together, and hold correspondence to betray the soul, if it) be such an enemy, that it hinders our joy, and comfort, and that it ever we will jo •… we must not be led by carnal wisdom: Then we ought in our daily courses to repent, not only of gross sins, but to repent even of carnal devices, and carnal designs. Why? It is the motion, and the counsel of God's enem •… , and of our enemy: therefore as Davia, Psalr 37. and Psal 7 •… . when fleshly wisdom did suggest to him carnal motions o •… doubting of the providence of God, that he began to think well of the ways of the wicked, that they prospered that were led altogether by fleshly wisdom; he censures himself, (it is the drift of both Psalms) So foolish was I, and as a beast before thee. As indeed, Man is a beast by his own knowledge, as Jeremy saith. For all carnal men sympathize either with beasts in base lusts, or else with Devils in politick lusts; either they are like Devils, subtle, or like beasts, brutish in all their courses.

Therefore when any base thought, opposite to the Majesty of God, and his Truth, and to the Spirit of God moving our hearts, ariseth in our hearts, think, This is the motion of mine enemy, of an enemy that lurks in my bosom, of Godsenemy, of a Traitor: let us renounce it, and be abased, and censure ourselves for it, as holy David did, So foolish was I, &c. Crush all thoughts, and devices of carnal wisdom in the beginning.

We see that the Godly, they ought not, nor do not lead their lives by fleshly wisdom: nay, take it in the best sense; take it for the rules of reason: they do not lead their lives altogether by the light of nature, but only in those things wherein the light of nature, and reason may be a Judge. For the light of reason, the principle of reason, is given us as a candle in the dark night of this world, to lead us in Civil, and in common actions, and it hath its use: but yet natural reason it becomes carnal reason in a man that is carnal; All things are impure to him that is impure, even his very light is darkness. Not that the light of nature, and that reason (which is a part of the Image of God) is in itself evil; it is good in itself, but the vessel taints it. Those that have great parts of learning, that have great wits, and helps of learning as much as may be, what do they? they trust in them, and so they stain them. Therefore Luther was wont to say, Good works are good, but to trust in good works is damnable. So nature, and reason, and learning they are good in themselves; but trusting in them they become carnal, when a man neglects better rules for them; when men scorn Religion (as your Politicians usually do,) then natural reason in regard of this tainture it becomes Carnal. Not with fleshly wisdom, or not with natural wisdom, as it is a higher rule of life.

What then shall become of a Christian when he hath renounced that which is in him by nature? when he hath denied his wit, and his will? when he hath renounced a bad guide, shall he have no guide at all? Yes; For a man is never lawless, he is always under some guide or other: a man is always under one Kingdom or other: when he ceaseth to be under the Kingdom of Satan, he comes under the Kingdom of Christ; and when he is not led by the flesh, he is led by the Spirit. God's Children when they have renounced natural, carnal wisdom, they have not renounced all wisdom; they are wise still: but they are wise by a supernatural light, they are wise in supernatural things; yea, and in natural things after a supernatural manner: They are new creatures, advanced to a higher rank and order of creatures: so their wisdom is a gracious wisdom when they are Christians.

When a Christian hath renounced carnal wisdom, God leaves him not in the storm in the world as a ship without a stearn, he leaves him not as having no pole star to guide his course by, but he gives him better direction, he hath the Word of God, he hath the Spirit of God, he hath the Grace of God to guide him. Therefore after the negative here Not in fleshly wisdom, the holy Apostle tells us how the Child of God is led in his own person, but

It is good for Inferiors always to be under the Government of Superiors, and so God hath framed the world: for beasts, because they have no wisdom of their own, they are led, and guided by men: and man because he is (as I said before) a beast by his own knowledge, and hath but a finite, a limited understanding; he is guided by a larger understanding, he is guided by God, if he be good. And it is the happiness of the creature to be under the guidance of a better wisdom. All things in the world are guided to their end; things without life are guided to their end without their privity. We see there is an end in everything: there is nothing in nature but it hath its end; whereupon comes that saying of the Philosophers, (which is good) That the work of nature is a work of deep understanding: not so much as the leaves but they serve to shelter, and cover the fruit from the Sun, and the storms, that it may thrive the better: there is nothing in nature but it is of great use, the work of nature is a work of deep understanding. Now man, because he hath a principle of understanding in himself, he is so guided by the wisdom of God to his end, as that he understands his own end himself: he is so led by the wisdom of God, as that God hath created a work of wisdom in himself, that he together with God is carried to his end. Now, as I said, when we are out of the regiment, and government of the flesh, we come under the gracious Government of God. Therefore the Apostle saith here, Not in fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God.

The holy Apostle means here especially the particular grace opposite to fleshly wisdom, that is, spiritual wisdom. But why should the Apostle here not say thus, Not with fleshly wisdom, but with spiritual wifdome? why should he not say so, rather then thus, Not with fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God? why should he put Grace, instead of Wisdom?

I answer, he doth it for heavenly ends.

First, to show that that wisdom whereby we are governed, it is not from ourselves, but it is a grace: he considers wisdom, not so much as it is in ourselves, in the Conduit; but as it is in the Spring, in the free love of God. It is a Divine consideration, to consider all habitual graces in us, not as they are streams derived to us, and resting in us, but as they are knit to a Spring which is never drawn dry: which besides is a free Spring, therefore they are graces.

And that is the reason of the comfort of a Christian, he knows he shall never be destitute of necessary strength, of necessary comfort, of necessary direction, and grace, to lead him to heaven: because those things that are necessary in him, he considers them as graces, not as habits, as it was the proud term of the Philosophers to call them.

We must consider them not as things in us invested in our nature, but as things that have their Original from the free, constant, and eternal love of God: as, what is so free as Grace? So a Christian looks on his disposition wrought by Grace, and on every particular grace he hath; as Love, Wisdom, Patience; he looks to all as Graces, as they come from the free love of God that is constant: for whom he loves, he loves to the end. And his joy is more in the spring then in the stream: it is more in the Sun, in Christ himself, then in grace from him: therefore the Apostle instead of the abstracted, distinct grace of wisdom, or any such thing, he saith, Grace. There is a savor in the very terms of Scripture, a sweet taste in the very language of the Holy Ghost.

And then to show that we are not only governed by wisdom, but by other graces, to show the connection of it with other graces: therefore he saith, We have had our Conversation, not in fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God.

To show likewise, that where wisdom fails in us, it is supplied by Grace: for the wisdom of God for us, is larger then the wisdom of God in us. The wisdom that God works in us by his Spirit, it teacheth us to avoid dangers, and teacheth us how to lead our lives: but we are led by a higher wisdom; the Grace of God for us it is higher then that which is in us.

The wisdom of God for us it watcheth over us, it keeps us from more evil, and doth more for us, then that which is in us, although that be spiritual and heavenly. Therefore the Apostle here, he names not distinctly gracious wisdom, which he mainly intends, as we see by the opposition, Not by fleshly wisdom, but by gracious wisdom: why doth he not say so, but by Grace? Because our Christian conversation it is not only by wisdom in us, but by grace and love, partly in us, and partly for us.

For indeed, there is a watchful providence, there is a waking love about the guiding of a Christian in his course to heaven, that keeps him him in, more then any Grace that is in him. And a Christian at the hour of death, and at the day of Judgment will be able to say with experience, That the wisdom of God for me hath been more then any wisdom he wrought in me: though by the wisdom in me, he enabled me to discover many discouragements, to see many wants, and to take many good courses that he blessed for me.

But his wisdom for me was greater in preventing occasions above my strength, in offering means that I never dreamed of, in fitting occasions, and opportunities to me.

The wisdom of God about and toward a Christian is more then any wisdom that is in him: For alas, having to do with the devil and with malicious spirits, and with the world, the stream whereofis against grace; it is hard for that beam of wisdom in us, that little wisdom we have, though it be an excellent, spiritual, divine thing: yet notwithstanding there is a heavenly wisdom that watcheth for us, and gives issue, and success to all the good we do, and turns away all evil that is above the proportion of Grace, and strength in us: therefore saith he, Our conversation is in the Grace, and favor of God, not only in me, but for me. I find experience of grace, not only the grace that is in me, but of Grace every way for me in all my courses.

And that is the reason why weaker Christians are sometimes the safer Christians. Another Christian that is wiser, he meets with tronbles perhaps.

I but God knows that he hath but a little proportion in him, and therefore God's Wisdom is more for him without him. God doth wondrously for infants and weak persons; the lack in them is supplied by his heavenly wisdom.

And that makes Christians confident, not to take thought what they shall speak, or how to carry themselves (more then is meet) not to have distracted thoughts (I mean) to be discouraged in a good cause: he thinks I have not only a promise of grace to direct and guide me, but likewise the wisdom of heaven for me, to discourage others, to take away occasions of discouragment from me, to offer me encouragments, and to lift up my spirit when occasion serves.

This is the comfort of a Christian, that God is his strength: He hath wrought all our works for us, saith the Prophet: he not only works gracious works in us; but he works all our works for us.

In that the Apostle mentions grace: when his meaning is of the particular grace of wisdom, as the opposition shows: The first thing that I will observe from it is this, That

When he is out of the fleshly government of fleshly wisdom, he stands in need of another wisdom and that is Grace, the Wisdom of God.

We stand in need of wisdom: for alas, what can we do in this world without wisdom? what can we do without light? For bodily inconveniences we have a bodily light, an outward light to show us what is noisome; for reasonable inconveniences that our common wits apprehend, we have the light of reason: but there be many inconveniencies, many dangers to the soul: now there must be a light of wisdom answerable; we need a heavenly wisdom to avoid devilish inconveniencies, and dangers to the soul, which without wisdom we cannot avoid.

Again, there is a necessity of wisdom that is heavenly, when we have renounced carnal wisdom; there is such a likeness between that which is good, and that which is evil, between truth and falsehood. Likeness is the mother of error. Falsehood is wondrous like truth; evil is wondrous like good ofttimes, in show, when a Sophister hath the handling, and the propounding of it. Though there be as much distance between them as between light and darkness: yet to the appearance of man, to his shallow judgment they are wondrous like one another: here is need of wisdom to discern, and distinguish between these.

Again, there is wondrous need of wisdom, because there are a great many hindrances from the doing of that which is good; it is good to have wisdom to see how to remove those hindrances. There are a great many advantages to help us to do good, there is much wisdom requisite to take all the helps and advantages to do that which is good: and unless we have wisdom we cannot take the advantages to do good, as we should.

Again, good is not good without wisdom; virtue is not virtue without discretion, when to speak, and when not to speak. A fool speaks all his mind at all times, saith the Wise man. Now to do things in season, to be trees of righteousness to bring forth fruit in season; To speak a word in season it is like apples of Gold with pictures of silver. One word in season is worth ten thousand out of season. Good is such a thing, that it is never good indeed except it be clothed with all convenient circumstances; one inconvenience in the circumstance mars the good things. And a world of wisdom there needs, to see the things that are about good actions to help them, or to hinder them; and if there be helps, and advantages, to know how to use them, there needs a great deal of heavenly light. So we stand in need of wisdom. As we stand in need of our eyes to walk in our common ways, so much we need a heavenly eye in our souls, a heavenly light of wisdom.

Again, we see (by the policy of Satan) that that which is good, the best good, it is hid under evil: the best wisdom goes under the name of folly, and unnecessary niceness; and the vilest courses go under policy and wisdom. Now there is need of much wisdom to discover things, and to see them in their right colors, when things are thus carried. In a word, such difference there is of things, that there needs a great deal of discerning, and heavenly wisdom, and a greater light then a man hath by nature, to guide him to heaven. I need not stand to multiply reasons: you see a man hath need of a great deal of wisdom. And, which is the second branch, as he needs it,

He may have this heavenly wisdom: As S. Paul saith here, I walk not according to fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God; the grace of wisdom he means, according to heavenly wisdom: as he needed it, so he had it. Saint James tells you how you may have it, If any man lack wisdom, to guide his life either in prosperity, or adversity, how to abound without pride, and how to bear afflictions: how to make his prosperity that it be not a snare to him, If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, who is the Fountain of wisdom; let him light his candle at God's light. Carnal wisdom lights its candle at hell-fire: a Carnal man, rather then he will miss of his ends, he will go to hell, he, and his riches, and policy, and all: it is otherwise with heavenly wisdom. We have need of wisdom, and wisdom we may have.

The vessel that we must fetch it in is faith, and the vent of faith is prayer: faith sends its Ambassador prayer to God. If any man lack wisdom, let him go to God.

And surely thus Solomon did, he is an example of that. He saw he lacked wisdom, to govern so great a people as was committed to his charge; God was so well pleased with his petition, that he gave him wisdom, and wealth, and honor too.

Make this Use of it: Let us consider what relation we stand in; in what rank God hath set us; let us consider what good we are advantaged to do by the place we are in; what helps we have to do it, and what mischiefs, and inconveniences may come: and let every man in his place and standing consider what good he may do, and what evil he may avoid, and let us go to God for wisdom.

He that is a Magistrate, let him do as Solomon did, desire God above all things to give him wisdom to rule as he should; that God would give him a public heart for a public place, and he will do it. And those that in their families would have wisdom to go in and out before them; let them go to God for wisdom, that they may avoid the snares that are incident to family-government, distrustfulness, worldliness, unfaithfulness in their particular calling. And so for personal wisdom, to guide and manage our own persons: let us desire wisdom of God, to know the hidden abominations of our own hearts, the deceits and subtleties of our own hearts, which is out of measure deceitful. To know our particular sins, to know what hurts us, and to know how to avoid it, and how to carry ourselves in our particular ways, to order our conversation aright every way. We see here S. Paul led his life and conversation by that wisdom: as it was needful for him, so he had it: and we must go all to the same spring for it, we must go to God.

And we must know, that God will not only make us wise to salvation, that he will not only give us wisdom in things that merely concern heaven: but the same love, the same care that gives us wisdom that way, will give us wisdom in our particular callings to take every step to heaven; the same Spirit of God doth all. He gives us grace necessary to salvation, and he gives us grace likewise for the leading of a Christian life.

Therefore it is an abominable conceit, to distinguish Religion from Policy and Government, as if the reasons of Religion were one, and the reasons of State were another; and as if these were distinguished one against another; it is an abominable Atheistical conceit: for the same heavenly Spirit of God that reveals the mysteries of salvation, reaveales likewise to men the mysteries of State.

Christ hath the keys of heaven, of the mysteries of God; and he hath the keys of all earthly policy whatsoever. He hath the greater, hath he not the less? Doth he guide us by his Spirit in heavenly mysteries; and then for matters of Policy, and Government of States, and Common-Wealths, are we to be guided by the Devil, by devilish, carnal wisdom? No, he gives all wisdom in its due place, even wisdom for common things.

Therefore consider, when men will not be ruled by God, by wisdom from above, in the regiment and government of their lives, how fearfully, and shamefully they miscarry; Partly by reason of the accidents of this life, and the variety of business. You know wisdom as it governs our life about the things of this world, it deals with things unstable, uncertain and vain, as Solomon saith, they continue not long in the same state; therefore if a man have not a better wisdom then his own, he shall be mightily to seek. Partly because of the imperfection of his wisdom: the things are imperfect, and the wisdom without it be guided from heaven is much to seek ofttimes.

Take the wisest man when he leaves heavenly wisdom once, as we see in Solomon, he thinks to strengthen himself by combination with Idolaters that were near to him, did he not miscarry foully? And hath not God made the wisest man that ever were in the world exemplary for gross miscarriages, because they had too much confidence in their parts, and neglected the guidance of God in the course of their lives? Who was more fool then Achitophel? who was a greater fool then Saul, and then He •… od?

The Emperors had great conceits: Constantine the Great, a good Christian Emperor, he had a conceit, if he could stablish a new Seat at Bizantium, Constantinople it was called afterwards; He would seat the Empire there: he would rule Rome by a Vice Roy, by another, and he would be there himself, and rule all the Eastern parts of the world. A goodly conceit he had of it: but this proved the ruin both of East and West. For hereupon when he was absent from Rome, the Pope of Rome he came up and grew by little and little. The Emperors they thought they did a great matter to advance the Pope, who was Christ's Vicar, a spiritual man: they consulted with Carnal wisdom, and he came and over-topped them, and eat them out, and out-grew them: as the Ivy doth the tree that nourisheth it. The Pope never left growing till he had over-topped them. So men, when they go to carnal wisdom, and neglect prayer, and neglect the counsel of God, and the wisdom of God to guide them in the matters of this life as well as for the life to come, they come to miscarry grossly.

Therefore let us take S. James his counsel: We all lack wisdom, let us every day beg it of God; desire God every day that he would Make our way plain before u, in our particular goings in and out: that he would discover to us what is best.

And here I might take occasion to reprove sharply the Atheism of many, that would be accounted great States men, that bring all Religion to reasons of State. They bring Heaven under earth, and clean subvert, and overthrow the order of things: and therefore no wonder if they miscarry. They care not what Religion it be, so it may stand with Peace; whether it be false or true, if it may stand with the peace of the State, all is well. Give me leave to touch it but in a word: It is a most abominable conceit. Religion is not a thing so alterable: Religion is a commanding thing, it is to command all other things, and all other things serve that. And it is not a matter of fancy and opinion (as they think out of their atheism) to keep men in awe. It is stablished upon the same ground as that there is a God: that upon the same ground that we say God is, upon the same ground we may say Religion is. It teacheth us that that God is to be observed: and that Christ is equal to him as God, and inferior to him in regard of his humanity, &c. So that there is the same ground that there is a God, and that there is a Religion.

And so again, by the same reason that there is one God, by the same reason there is but one Religion. And it is not any Religion that will serve the turn: For that one God will be worshipped his own way. There is one God, one Truth. And that one Religion must needs be that in which that one God discovers and reveals himself, and not that which man deviseth: For will any Master be served with the device of his servant? And will God suffer his creature to devise a Religion to serve him? Therefore there is of necessity, as one God, so one Religion, and that one Religion must be that which that God hath left in his Word.

Therefore those that are to govern States, as they will answer to that one God; they are to establish that Religion that he hath left to the world in his Word, and not any Religion: not that which men have devised. To go a little further.

In that one Religion that is left by him, there must be a care had that the people live by the rules of that one: For this is a rule in nature, nothing in Religion will help him, that will not live according to the rules of it: therefore it concerns all that are not atheists, to labor to stablish one Religion, and obedience to that one.

And every particular man as he looks for good by his Religion, is not to live by the rules of fleshly wisdom; but by the rules of Religion.

And here a man might deplore the misery of poor Religion above all other things, above all other Arts, and Trades: In other Arts and Trades he is accounted nobody, that works not according to his Trade: and that hath not (besides some speculative skill, and rules in his head, that hath not) skill to work, he is accounted nobody, but a talker except he doth: But in Religion men think it is enough to know: practice it goes under base names. Any common conscience, any common care, and obedience to the rules we must be saved by is reproached, and rejected. Religion will not do a man good, except he be ruled by it. Wherefore serves the rule but to bring things to it? But I will not stand on this point longer.

There is a necessity of wisdom. And this wisdom may be had; and this wisdom it leads not only to salvation, but it reacheth to the State, and it leads every man in his calling. Well, we may see (to touch that by the way) In the third place,

My Conversation hath been by the Grace of God, that is, in wisdom; he puts the general for the particular: there was other graces besides; but together with them there was this wisdom: So, wisdom tends to conversation.

Mark what I said, wisdom is not in word, but in work: A man that will be Master of his Trade must work; when a man can work well, he is Master of his Trade, and not till then: Religion tends to practice. You know what Christ saith, If you know these things, happy are ye if ye do them: He intailes happiness to doing, If you know these things, he saith not you are happy if you know them: no, If you know these things, happy are you if you do them: For indeed true wisdom is not only speculative. This wisdom, understanding and knowledge when it is true, and spiritual, it always tends to practice; and practice is never sound but when it springs from wisdom; from things known: Every Article in the Creed it tends to practice in a Christians life, and quickens practice every Article: so wisdom tends to conversation.

Now, besides that main wisdom which properly concerns salvation, there is another wisdom which is more particular, that tends to conversation: which is called Spiritual Prudence for particular actions. This comes from the Spirit of God, I Wisdom dwell with Prudence. Wheresoever there is wisdom to salvation, there is prudence to the guidance of a Christian's life.

But in a word, if so be that wisdom tend to conversation, and is joined with it, You may see that all naughty livers are no bodies in Religion, they are fools in Religion: wherefore serves knowledge? wherefore serves light, but to walk by? wherefore serves an instrument, but to work by? wherefore serves wisdom, but to guide our lives by? Is it to be matter of discourse and talk? Therefore this doth demonstrate clearly (to any man that thinks there is any Religion, or any heaven,) who be the best Christians, even those that by the Spirit know the wisdom that God hath revealed in his Word, and apply it in their lives and conversations to be ruled by it, to work to that end. Wisdom prefixeth an end always, and those that work to that end they are wise men: he is a wise man that works to attain his end. Now there is no man that can attain his end by mere knowledge, he attains his end by working, by doing: therefore the wisest Christian he sets himself to converse wisely, and holily: and he shows his religion in his particular calling, in everything: If any man be Religious, let him show it in holy Conversation: let him be unspotted of the world. So much for that.

To give a little further light to the words. Grace is either the free favor of God in himself, issuing from his goodness, whereupon we have forgiveness of sins, and acceptation through Jesus Christ to life everlasting: This is grace resting in the breast of God, but is only entertained of us, and works no change in us of itself.

Or else grace is something from that favor, from that free grace of God, wrought in us. And thar grace wrought in us, is,

First the grace of a whole, universal change: for whomsoever God accepts graciously to life everlasting, he gives them the gifts of grace, with his favor: he changeth their nature, that they may be fit to entertain fellowship with him: For when by grace he accepts us to favor, if he should not alter our natures, alas, what a case were we in? were we fit for communion with God? No; therefore that we may have communion with God, he alters our dispositions, that we may be holy as he is holy: this change is the first change in Christianity.

Now in this gracious change (which is a work of the gracious Spirit derived to us by Christ, in whom our nature is filled with all grace, and in whom we receive grace for grace) there are graces wrought: as,

First, a heavenly light to see a further end then ever we saw before: a heavenly convincing light to see the love of God, to see life everlasting, to see glorious things.

And withal comes the grace of Love to carry the whole inward man to the things that we see.

Then there is the grace of Hope to expect, and Patience to endure all till we be possessed of that which our understandings are enlightened to see.

And Faith persuades the soul where to have it, and relies on the Promise; so particular graces are wrought. Therefore that is one reason why the Apostle names not wisdom in particular, when he saith, We have not led our conversation according to carnal fleshly wisdom, but by Grace: his meaning is, that a Christian when he hath heavenly wisdom, he hath all graces, and wisdom together. There is a connection, a combination of graces, as I said: so he leads his life by all graces: for all graces are necessary to a Christian life: therefore instead of wisdom, he puts the word grace.

Now besides these, besides the favor of God accepting us in Christ: And besides the working of these graces in us, in, and after our conversion, there is another degree of grace requisite, which is a particular exciting, applying, strengthening grace, which is required to every good act, to act every good work, and to resist every evil, and to enjoy good things as we ought to enjoy them. I say, there is a grace necessary to withstand temptations in all evil, besides graces habitual that are wrought in us, of Faith, and Love, and Hope, &c. These except they be actuated, and enlivened by the continual work of the Spirit; except they be brought to act, and a new strength put into them, they are not sufficient for a Christian life. Therefore S. Paul here by Grace, means not only the graces of the Spirit, habitual graces; but the power of the Spirit acting, enlivening, quickening and strengthening him against every evil in particular, and to every good work in particular.

In that the Apostle here, though he principally mean wisdom, yet he names Grace, the next point I will observe is this, That

All the wisdom we have comes from Grace, merely from Grace. And this Grace is not wanting to us when we have renounced our fleshly wisdom. Heavenly wisdom comes altogether from Grace. To make this a little clear: Whatsoever is spiritual it comes from Christ: since the fall we have nothing but by especial grace. God being reconciled by Jesus Christ, he hath placed all fullness of grace in him: he hath enriched our nature in him with wisdom, and all graces whatsoever. All the treasures of wisdom are in him, and all other graces. God the Father, and our Savior Christ, they send the Spirit, they communicate the Spirit, which takes of Christ, and doth enlighten, and quicken, and guide all those that are members of Christ. All in particular, all inward things come from Grace; Grace comes from the Spirit, the Spirit from Christ, and this is the descent of Grace and Wisdom.

Thereupon they are taken indefinitely in Scripture, sometimes to walk wisely, to walk graciously, sometimes to walk in the Spirit, sometimes to walk in Christ, it is all one; sometimes to be in Christ, Whosoever is in Christ, &c. And to walk in the Spirit, and by the Spirit, to pray in the Spirit, and in wisdom, and in faith, or to live by faith, or to live by Grace, or in Grace; they are all one, because they are subordinate. For Christ is the treasure of the Church: all that is Good for the Church is laid up in him, Wisdom, and whatsoever: Of his fullness we receive Grace for Grace. Grace, answerable to the grace that is in him: he vouchsafes us his Spirit.

Now the Spirit guides us not immediately, but it works a habit in us (as we call it,) it works somewhat in us to dispose us to that which is good. And when that is wrought, the Spirit guides us to every particular action. These things that the Spirit works in us are called Graces: because they come from out of ourselves by the Spirit. so wisdom is called Grace, because it comes from the Spirit: the Spirit comes from Christ, and Christ hath grace, not only grace in himself, but he infuseth Grace into us: he hath not only abundance, but redundance; not only Grace flowing in himself, but redundant, overflowing to all his members. This Saint Paul means, when he saith, We have had our Conversation by the Grace of God, that is, by such blessed habits of Wisdom, Faith, Love, &c. as are wrought by the Spirit of God, which Spirit is given us by Jesus Christ our head.

Hence we learn, that everything that is necessary to bring us to heaven, it is a grace; that is, it comes from without us. Adam had it within him, he was trusted with his riches himself: but now in Jesus Christ we have all of Grace: we have all out of ourselves. Christ is the Sun, we have all our beams from him, all our light, all our life from him: he is the head, all our motion is from him. And this is not only true of habits (as we call them) that is, a constant work, or disposition wrought in God's Children, which for the most part they carry about with them: but likewise in all the particular passages of their life, they have need of grace for every particular action. And herein the soul is like to the air: the air stands in need of light, and if it be not enlightened by the Sun, it is presently dark: so a man is no wiser in particular actions, then God will make him on the sudden: put case he be a man of a wise spirit for the most part, that he passeth for an understanding man, and is so: yet except he have the grace of God's Spirit, except he have wisdom to guide him in particular, he is no wiser then God at that time will make him to be. You see all motion in the body it comes from the head: let the spirits in the head be obstructed never so little, and there follows an apoplexy, there will be no motion: so all our wisdom, all the direction that we have to lead our lives as becomes Christians, it comes from Christ, it comes from Grace: not only the disposition, but likewise every particular action: for we need Grace continually to assist us, to excite, and stir up our powers, and to strengthen them against oppositions: and if the opposition be strong, we have need of a stronger Grace.

There is never a good work that we do but it is opposed from within us, from without us. From within us, by Carnal wisdom (as I said before,) and by carnal passions, and affections. From without us, by Satan, by the world, and by men that are led with the spirit of the Devil: therefore there is need of a strength above our own. Besides the Grace that is in us ordinarily, there needs a new particular strength and light, to particular actions.

Doth all come from God, and from his Grace? Let us take heed (when we have anything) of sacrilegious affections, of attributing anything to ourselves, to our own wisdom, and let us give all presently to Grace. Mark the phrase of S. Paul here, Not by fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God: he doth not say, by any habit in myself; he doth not say, by any wisdom that is in me, but he chooseth that which is in God, Grace, and favor; because he would not rob God of any honor. It was a proud term the Philosophers had, as I said, sometimes they called their moral virtues habits: and if we consider them merely as they are in the person, they are habits; but indeed they are graces: the Scripture gives them a more heavenly term, Grace; those things that we guide our lives by, as Wisdom, Love, Temperance, Sobriety. Grace is a fitter word then habit, because then we consider them as they come from God freely: they are graces, they come from grace and favor. And when men differ one from another in wisdom, they differ in grace and favor; he gives more light, he opens the understanding of one more then another. Therefore S. Paul was wise, and careful this way, when he speaks of that he had done himself, lest he should rob God, Not I, oh not I, 1 Cor. 15. but the Grace of God that was in me; that was all in all: For indeed we are what we are, and we do what we do by Grace. Even as by ourselves we are men; we are what we are, and we do what we do, by our souls, by our reason and understanding: so it is with spiritual grace, we are what we are out of ourselves by spiritual grace, and we do what we do by spiritual grace. And when that ceaseth, when God suspends the blessed motions of his Spirit to humble us, alas, we are dark; a man is a confused creature, he is at a loss, he is in darkness for the particular managing of his life; he knows not what to do, he knows not what to speak, he is puzzled in every particular action. And therefore when he hath spoken, or done that which is fit, he should consider it is a grace.

My Conversation hath been in the Grace of God, saith the Apostle. Therefore let us sanctify God in our hearts this way. And when we stand in need of any direction, desire God of his grace to give us wisdom, and to give us the grace that we stand in need of. That is for the phrase. The point as I told you was this, That

For saith S. Paul, My Conversation hath been in Grace, which God did minister to me, and hath ministered to me to lead my life by.

The Reason is this; Christ hath undertaken to give us grace if we be his. Men under grace shall never want grace to lead a Christian life. For Christ hath undertaken to be our Head, to be our Husband, to be our guide in our way to heaven. As our head he is to give us motion, to move us as his members. As he is our Shepherd, as he saith, I am the good Shepherd; so he is to lead us in our ways and passages, in his paths, to conduct us to happiness. And as he is our husband, so he is to be the head of his wife, to guide us, it is his office. And he works according to his own office. He is a King to subdue in us whatsoever is contrary to his good Spirit, to subdue our rebellions, and to bring all our Imaginations under his Spirit: as well as to be a Priest to make peace between God and us. He is a King to rule us, and to over-rule in us whatsoever is ill. And he is a Prophet to teach us and to guide us. He is the Angel of the Covenant, the great Counselor, that hath the Spirit of Counsel in him, Isaiah 9. 6. not for himself only, but for his Church.

Therefore as all the things that we need, come from grace, and from the favor of God; so we need not doubt of the grace of God in Christ; being reconciled, he is willing to give us grace.

This I observe, to cut off all cavils of flesh and blood, and to arm us against all discouragements.

There are two things that greatly hinder us from a Christian course, Presumption, and Despair.

Presumption, to set upon things, without asking grace of God, without depending upon his direction by the strength of natural parts, of natural wit.

And then Despair: when a man saith, What should I go about these things? I shall never bring them to pass. No: First consider thy standing, thy place, and calling; and then consider the abilities that God hath given thee: consider thy parts, consider thy duty that thou art to do. And beg of God assistance, and strength; and if it be a thing that belong to thee, go on, set on all the duties that belong to thy place, in this confidence that thou shalt have grace.

Go to the Fountain, to Christ for grace for the direction of thy life; he is the light of life, he is the Way, he is all in all to bring us to heaven.

Wherefore serves all the Promises, not only of life everlasting, but even of grace? but to encourage us to set on holy duties in confidence, that if we have a will to be out of Satan's Kingdom, and if we have a will to be out of fleshly wisdom, God will take us into his Kingdom, and into his Government. He will give the Spirit to them that ask him Now the Spirit is a Spirit of direction, a Spirit of assistance, a Spirit of strength and comfort, it serves all turns. How many Promises are wrapped in that promise of the Spirit? In want of direction he shall be our Counselor; in want of strength, to assist us. In perplexities, when we know not which way to turn us, to advise us. In extremities, when we are ready to sink, to comfort us. He will give us his holy Spirit to supply all our defects in a fit time if we ask him: If we find our need, and if we will renounce our carnal wisdom. Therefore set on those duties that God calls you to.

And withal, do as S. Paul doth here, (he sets the negative before the affirmative,) renounce carnal wisdom, be not guided by that: trust perfectly to the Word of Grace, and to the Spirit of Grace: (for the Word of Grace, and the Spirit of Grace go together) and then you shall find that God will do abundantly above all that you are able to ask or think. Luther when he set on the work of Reformation, those that saw him at the first might have said, Get thee into thy Cloister, and say, Lord have mercy upon thee, for thou settest on a work impossible. But he saw the parts that God had given him, that he had wit to understand the abuses of the times: and he had given him courage: he saw by his profession he was called to be a Divine, his conscience was awaked to see the abominations of the times, and he set on to discover these things. Did Christ leave him? No, he did not, but gave success to him to be admired of all. When all the world was set against one man, yet he prevailed against them all: even because he walked as S. Paul did here, in sincerity, and simplicity; that is, he looked to the truth of the cause, and not to his own honor, or profit, or pleasure: he was content to be no wiser then the Book of God would have him to be; to be no richer or greater in the world then God would have him; but committed himself to God in simplicity, and sincerity: how did God maintain him? wondrously, to admiration. I instance in him, to show how base distrust causeth things to be no better carried then they are.

Now to encourage you to go to the grace of God, to go to the Fountain, and not to be held under carnal wisdom, under these pretexts, Oh, if I do not hearken to carnal wisdom, I shall be a beggar, I shall never rise, I shall never do this or that in the world, I shall never escape this and that danger. Fie upon those base conceits: S. Paul here renounceth the regiment of carnal wisdom: what became of him? did he want a guide? Grace took him up, Not by carnal wisdom, but by the Grace of God. When we come under the government of God, we come under the government of grace. And we shall want nothing either for heaven or earth that is for our good.

Whatsoever we had that was good, before we were gracious, that we keep still, and it is under a better guide. Were we learned before? were we wise before? had we authority before? were we noble before? we lose none of these when we come under Christ; but he advanceth and elevates these, he makes them better. If we were wise, he makes us graciously wise; if we were learned, if we were noble, he makes us doubly noble: we lose nothing, but we are under a sweeter government, the government of grace, which is a mild government, a government that tends to the advancing of us above ourselves; that advanceth us to be the Spouse of Christ, and the heirs of heaven.

Those that are in Christ Jesus, and are led by his Spirit, they are his. In Rom. 8. there is excellently set down the prerogatives that they have: those that lead their conversation in simplicity and sincerity, those that are in Christ, and in the Spirit, and in Grace, there is no Damnation to them. And then again, if they suffer anything; saith he, The afflictions of this world are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed. If they have any infirmities, saith he, The Spirit helps our infirmities. The Spirit teacheth us how to pray, when we know not how to pray. If we suffer any evil, God turns all to good: All things shall work together for the best to them that fear God. For infirmities in other things we have Christ, and he makes intercession in heaven: Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's people that are in Christ, that are in Grace, that are in the Spirit? such as S. Paul was here, it is Christ that is dead, or rather that is risen again, and makes intercession for us. And if he have given us Christ, shall he not with him give us all things else? If he have given us Christ, he will give us grace to bring us to heaven. See the excellent estate of a Christian that is under the regiment of Christ, that is led by the Spirit, That Chapter may serve instead of all.

And see the sweet combination here, how he knits these things together, My rejoicing is this, that I have not had my Conversation in fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God. Here is a knitting together of divers things that seem to differ: as, here is wisdom, and simplicity, I have had my conversation by the grace of God, by wisdom, and yet in simplicity. For it is wisdom to be simple: when a man hath strength of parts, it is wisdom to bring them parts to simplicity.

It is wisdom to be simple concerning that which is evil; for a man to be simple there, is his best way; there is wisdom joined with his simplicity. Then again, besides Wisdom, and Simplicity, here is Our Conversation, and God's Grace, both joined together. S. Paul by grace guided his conversation. So God stirs us to do all that we do: we see, but he opens our eyes to see: we hear, but he opens our ears: we believe, but he opens our hearts to believe.

This I speak, to reconcile some seeming difference: Doth God's Spirit do all, and we do nothing? We do all subordinately, we move as we are moved; we see as we are enlightened: we hear as we are made to hear. We are wise as far as he makes us wise: we do, but it is he that makes us do.

Saint Paul here led his conversation, but it was grace that moved him to lead it graciously. Well then, he that joins simplicity and wisdom together, the wisdom of the Serpent, and the simplicity of the Dove: he that trusts in God, and grace, and yet in trusting to grace, doth all that he can, and goes on in a Christian course, he shall rejoice: Our rejoicing is this, that we have had our Conversation in simplicity, and according to the rule of Grace, not by fleshly wisdom.

Consider seriously of it, what a joy will this be, that we have led our lives by a rule different from the world? that we have led our lives and courses, according to the motion of God's blessed Spirit: this must needs bring joy and rejoicing with it in what estate soever.

The world join these together, simplicity, and sincerity of life where they see them, that they may slander them, that they may lay imputations upon them: they see they are courses opposite to theirs, and they lay load on them. But what doth God? where there is simplicity and wisdom, and a holy Conversation, he adds his Spirit, he joins the Spirit of grace, which is a Spirit of joy always. As light and comfort go with the Sun; so the Spirit of joy and comfort go always with the Spirit of grace. Saint Paul here in regard of the world was afflicted, he received the sentence of death, he was slandered and misused; yet to Godward saith he, Our rejoicing is this, that we have led our Conversation according to Grace, according to the motion of God's blessed Spirit, and not with fleshly wisdom.

If this be so, that the joy of God's Spirit goes with the grace of God's Spirit; and that those that lead their conversation by grace have a rejoicing above all imputations, and slanders whatsoever: Let this be an encouragement to us to lead a godly life: we all seek for joy; every creature seeks for joy: if we would have joy within us, if we would have a spring of joy, let us labor to lead a conversation by this rule, by grace, by the motion of God's Spirit, which is ready to guide us if we commit ourselves to his guidance.

To come then to make an Use of trial, whether we lead our lives by this gracious wisdom or no, and not by carnal wisdom. And then to come to direct us how to lead our lives by the grace of God, which is the ground of all joy and comfort, as S. Paul saith here.

How shall a man know whether he lead his life by this spiritual, gracious wisdom, or no?

I answer, mark the opposition here, Not with fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God. He then doth lead his life by the Grace of God, that doth renounce carnal, and fleshly wisdom. Carnal wisdom is a false rule, and it cannot stand together with grace, they one expel another. A doubleminded man, saith S. James, is inconstant in all his ways; that is, he that hath two strings to his bow: he that will be content to be led by the grace of God, and by the Word of God, which is the Word of his Grace, and yet notwithstanding he will have carnal policies, he will have shifts too, he is a double minded man: he is not now under the government of grace, he halteth, as the Prophet tells the Israelites, Why do you halt? so he halteth between carnal, and heavenly wisdom. He is loath to renounce carnal wisdom: no, he thinks if he do, he shall be a fool, he shall lose this way of getting, and that way of rising.

But he that is under the Spirit of God; that is under Grace, and is guided by it, he will renounce the motions, and stirrings of carnal wisdom: When Carnal Wisdom, like to Eve, or like Job's Wife, or like Peter shall suggest, Oh, spare yourself, why will you do this? why will you go on in these courses? yet notwithstanding he is able to renounce it.

The most of God's Judgments in this world, on his Children, it is for this halting: they have much carnal wisdom in them; and God to work it out of them is forced to cross them sharply in their projects and courses; and all to bring them to rely on Grace, to rely on his Government in the use of good means: For we must serve God's providence in the use of good means.

A man may know by God's afflicting of his Children, that they deal too much in carnal wisdom: for if it were not for carnal wisdom, if we would submit ourselves to his sweet, and easy guidance, and use the lawful means that he hath discovered in a lawful calling; if we would observe lawful courses: alas, we should see a clear light, and an easy passage, we need not to use these shifts: but because we cannot do so, we are loath to trust him; but we are double-minded, we will be ruled by him a little, but we will be politick and subtle; therefore he sends crosses upon crosses upon our carnal ends and projects: especially those that are his Children, he will not suffer them to prosper in ill courses.

That is one sign, those that are led by the grace of God, they will not be led by God's enemy, and the enemy of their own souls: now God, and our own souls have not a worse enemy then carnal fleshly wisdom; that is evident from the opposition.

Those that deny carnal wisdom, that deny themselves, and put themselves upon God, it is a good Evidence. And as it is a sign, so it is a cause. You see in holy Abraham, when he had put himself on God, and left his Country, and his fathers house, God guided him, God took him into his government. I am God Al-sufficient, walk before me, and be perfect. God means this, That by leaving all other things, and cleaving to me, thou shalt lose nothing, thou shalt have all in me, I will be all-sufficient; therefore walk before me, and be perfect, be sincere. A man shall never know what God will do for him till he put himself upon him, and cease to try him, and begin to trust him: trust him once, honor him of his Word; have not a double eye, partly to carnal means, and partly to him, but have a single eye to his wisdom, and know that he will reward thee and keep promise. It is an excellent thing to deny carnal wisdom.

How many Cavils might blessed Noah have had, before he built the Ark? The world would scorn him as an old doting man, that would go about to be wiser then all the world besides. But he denies all carnal reason, and rejects the scorns of sinful persons, and obeys God: and we see how God protected him, and went on with him. And so in David, and S. Paul.

And to add a little to that I touched before, God usually strangely crosses carnal wisdom, because men will not deny their carnal will, and their carnal wit. There was never any Politician in the world that ever was, but complained of it, if he lived any time in the world, that God went beyond him. Saith the Heathen man Tully, I thought myself wise, but I never was so: and so they may all take up the same complaint. God dashes the Imaginations of the proud. They build a Babel, a confusion to themselves and others, that are led by carnal wisdom, that will not trust to the grace of God.

Let no man flatter himself, but trust in God, and not rely upon carnal wisdom, and such courses. Those that will bring Religion to reasons of State, and policy: and subject the highest thing in the world to the basest thing, which is carnal wit, (as I said before) we see what they do. The nature of man infinitely desireth the accomplishment of their will. We see that where corruption may have the greatest advantage in greatness; let them have their will, they will overthrow a world to have it: their wit is bent to serve their will.

All witty men that account it a heaven upon earth to have their will, instead of law, and conscience and all, they set their wits on the strain to serve their will, and so set themselves against God. Is it not God's honor to set himself against them? Was there ever any fierce against God and prospered? saith Job. Denial of fleshly wit, and will, and wisdom, it is both a sign and evidence of grace: and it is a means likewise why God's grace will lead us: when we deny that which is strong in us, God will make a supply by his Grace; we are no losers by it.

Again, you see here in the Text, where the life is led by the Grace of God, by the Spirit of God stirring us, acting us, leading, moving, and strengthening of us; there a man's courses are in simplicity and sincerity: the soul that is under grace will put itself simply upon God; that soul will be no wiser then the Word of God makes it to be; it will be no happier, no richer then God makes it, it will use no other means then what God allows: this is plainness, and singleness, and simplicity of heart.

Again, it will be in sincerity: where a man leads his life graciously, his actions are sincere: this grace as it comes from God, so it tends to God, sincerity looks to God, it doth things as to God. So that where Grace is, it carries a man above himself, to seek the glory of God, and life everlasting, to have spiritual and heavenly ends, to seek God in all things. The grace of God in S. Paul guided him to lead his life in the simplicity and sincerity of God; that is sincerity that looks to, and aims at God in all things.

And indeed, a gracious man, and only a gracious man, can look out of himself to an end above himself: only a gracious man can aim at God's glory, at the pleasing of God; why? because only a gracious man knows that he hath better things in God then in the world. A worldly man makes himself his term; he makes himself his last end: because he knows not better out of himself then in himself: he dares not venture upon God's •… avour, to put all upon that, he knows not whether he be his friend or no; he thinks he is his enemy, as he may well enough, by his ill courses: only the gracious man can put himself upon God; he knows he is redeemed out of a miserable condition into a glorious-estate: and if he should be denied of all the world, yet he knows he hath more happiness in him, then he can look for here: he knows he would be Al sufficient for him: he is assured of his salvation, therefore he hath higher ends, he is sincere in all things.

God when he is honored by trusting of him, when in sincerity we make him our wisdom, and make his Word our rule, and the happiness that he hath promised our chief happiness that we aim at, and rest in him; when we honor him so far, then he makes a supply of all other things. But I spake of sincerity to the full before, only I bring it now, to show how it is a note of a man that makes the Grace of God his guide, he walks sincerely; he seeks the glory of God.

Thirdly, he that walks by the Grace of God, and in the grace of God, by it as a rule, and in it as a principle, he that walks in it, and by it, and through it: you shall see it by the ability that is in him above nature, by the things that he doth, that other men cannot do that walk not by grace: therefore you have a trial of a man that converseth by grace, from hence; he can cross the common corruptions of the place, and of the time he lives in: he is not a slave, he is not inthralled to common fears, to common hopes, to the common joys and delights that the world is carried withal: but as Grace is a thing that is mighty, and strong, and powerful of itself, it is a Spirit: the Spirit is like the wind as Christ tells Nicodemus; it is a mighty, powerful, strong thing: so it makes him strong, it enables a man's spirit to do above himself, above that which he could do if he had not grace. It makes him deny himself in matter of pleasure, in matter of profit, it will make him cross himself in matter of revenge, as David spared Saul when he had him in his power. It will make him triumph over all estates, he can abound, and he can want, as S. Paul saith.

Other men are changeable with their condition; they are cast down in adversity, they are puffed up in prosperity, they can deny themselves in nothing: they are always inthralled to their base pleasures, and profits, and honors, they are always swayed with some carnal end or other. Grace it raiseth a man above nature, he can do that which another cannot do, he can endure that which another man cannot endure: he can die, he can endure shame, he can resist that which another man cannot resist.

In a word, you may know Grace in a man that hath great parts of nature: How shall we distinguish grace from nature in him? Thus, you shall have him subdue his parts unto grace, and to the rules of Religion: If he have a strong wit, he will not make show of the strength of it, as though he would break through business with his wit; but he will consult with conscience. You may know a man that is led by grace, especially where there are great parts; he can deny not only his corruptions, but other things if they stand not at that time with the will of God: he forbears ostentation of learning when he sees it is hurtful, when it is rather to show himself, then to get glory to God, or to win souls. When a man sees that such and such courses might crush another, and advance himself: yet if it touch upon conscience he will not do: here is a conflict between parts, and the Grace of God, and goodness: now when a man in this can deny himself, it is a sign that a man makes grace his guide.

It is not so easy in weaker dispositions: for men seem sometimes to be good, when it is defect of parts: but in men of ability it proceeds not from defect, or want of parts, but it is the power of Grace only whereby they are swayed; such a man dares not do it: he wants not ability or skill, but he dares not offend God, he dares not seek himself, he dares not give scope to his wit, and to his vain mind, he knows what spirit in him moves such things, and he suppresseth them presently, and yields to the motions of God's blessed Spirit.

But yet in weaker men a man may know when such a one is ruled by grace: thus; when a man sees something in him that strengthens nature, as, Grace takes not away nature, but betters it. When you see a man, that otherwise is simple, yet he is wondrous skillful in resisting a temptation, skillful in giving advice, skillful in keeping the peace of his conscience, skillful in giving reproof, even above himself: a man may know that he hath a better Schoolmaster, that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Grace is his Schoolmaster.

So that whether a man have strong, or weak parts, a man may know whether he be led by grace or no. In the weaker it raiseth him above himself: in the stronger, when the exercise of his parts of nature, and grace cannot stand together, it makes him deny himself: that he may be led by the one, he denies the other altogether: this is gracious wisdom.

Again, a man may know that he leads his life in gracious wisdom, or by gracious wisdom, when he fetcheth reasons for his actions, not from things below, but from Religion, from conscience, from spiritual things: he doth not fetch the reason of his actions from this, that this will profit me, or I shall advantage myself thus and thus: but he fetcheth the reasons and ground of his actions higher; this is pleasing to God, this is according to the peace of my conscience, this is for the good of the Church, for the good of the State I live in; this is for the good of my Christian brethren. The strongest reason of a Christian is that that makes for Religion, and for conscience: if he may gain in his own particular one way, and gain to the State, or Religion another, he considers not, what will it advantage me? but, what is it for Religion? It is the chief prevailing reason, how he may gain to Religion, and the glory of God: he will not redeem his life to impeach the glory of God, and Religion. This is a man that leads his life by grace.

Again, where grace is, there graces are together: there is a sweet linking of them: therefore S. Paul instead of wisdom, names Grace of God, all grace. A man therefore may know that he is led by grace, when there is no solitary grace: for where grace is solitary, it is not at all, it is but a shadow.

For there is not one grace but it is of special use in the managing of a Christians life and conversation: therefore S Panl instead of wisdom, puts grace here. For instance, there is a great necessity of seeing by a light above nature, things above nature. If a man lead a life above nature, there is a necessity of heavenly illumination and conviction, that there is a better happiness then the world affords. And then there is a need of love to carry the soul to that happiness that is discovered. But then there are a world of impediments between us, and heaven, and happiness that is discovered to us in the Gospel by Christ Jesus: there must be heavenly wisdom therefore to discover the impediments, and to remove them. And there are many advantages how to attain our end, we must use this, and this means, these and these helps that God hath ordained: here must be heavenly wisdom to use the advantages, and to avoid the hindrances. But there are a world of troubles between our end and us, between heaven that is discovered, and us: therefore saith the Apostle, Ye have need of Patience. And patience that is sustained by hope, hope casts anchor in heaven, and assures us of happiness there, and then patience sustains us in whatsoever befalls us in this world. Therefore the Apostle saith not, I lead my life by wisdom, but by grace; by wisdom, as it hath a connection with all other graces.

Therefore a man that out of hearing of the Word, or reading, &c. hath it discovered, that there is a better way then he takes, and yet notwithstanding hath not love to carry him to it, nor wisdom to remove the impediments, he works not towards his end; there is no grace at all: there is illumination, but it is not sanctified illumination, but a mere common work of the Spirit: because where true wisdom is, there is love, and patience, and hope, and all other graces to carry the whole soul to that happiness that is discovered.

Therefore by this you may know a gracious wise man, he works to his end always: another man hears and wishes, Oh, it were well if I could attain heaven: but carnal policy, and base affections hold him in a beastly course of life, that he works not to that end: only he hears such things, and thinks God will be merciful, and Christ hath died, and when he cannot enjoy the world longer, he will have good words that way: but that will not serve the turn, a man must lead a life in grace, that will die, and be saved by grace; he must work, and carry the whole man with it: and not only have knowledge, but faith, and love, and all, a man must work with it.

Who is a wise man in outward matters? is he a wise man that only talks of States matters, out of Books he hath read? No, but he that when he comes to a business to negotiate in the world, can remove hindrances, and attain his end, and overthrow the plots of his enemies when it comes to particular actions: here is a wise man, that can attain his end by working; that doth work to his end till he have attained it. So he proves graciously wise in Religion that works to his end; or else he is a foolish man, a foolish builder. As Christ saith, If ye know these things, and do them not; you are as a man that builds on the sands, your profession will come to nothing.

Again, a man may know that he is guided by Grace, that he doth every thing by gracious wisdom, when he doth provide for himself best in the best things, out of a sanctified judgment, when he doth judge aright of differences: when he considers that there is a difference between the soul and the body; between this life and eternal life: there is a main difference between the glorious eternal life in the world to come, and this fading life which the soul communicates to the body in this world; when a man judgeth the difference between true riches, and these things that we are so set upon, that are but lent us for a little while. When he judgeth between the true honor to be the Child of God, and the fading honors of this world that shall lie down in the dust with us, and shall all depart and be gone, it appears then he hath a sanctified judgment, he discerns of things that differ.

And according to this, (if he lead his life in gracious wisdom) he makes his provision; he makes his provision as his judgment leads him: his judgment leads him to the best things, therefore he provides for the best things. As Christ saith of the Children of this world, they are wise in their courses, in their Generation: they provide against beggary, they make friends beforehand, as we see in that unjust steward. So a Christian provides for his soul, he looks to that, he makes him friends of his unrighteous Mammon: he makes him friends of his earthly things, that is, he doth deserve well of men that they pray for him, and so help him to heaven. He daily makes his account ready, he cuts off impediments that he meets with in the way, he troubles not himself with impertinencies, he spends not more time then needs about worldly things: he useth them as they may help his work to be better and better in grace, to be fitter and fitter for glory. As he discerneth differences, so he makes his provision answerable: he provides for the best in the first place. Or else he were a foolish Merchant, a foolish builder, a foolish man every way; the Scripture saith he is no better that cannot discern the difference, and provide well for himself when other things fail.

The Scripture doth well call wicked men fools, they have no judgment, they do not provide for themselves: they prefer these things (say what they will) before better things: they are fools in their provision. Achitophel, he made provision, he set his house in order, and what became of him after? he hanged himself. He made much provision for the world, and at last he knew not how to forecast and provide for his soul. The Scripture calls the rich man in the Gospel, a fool: he was wise enough to contrive for himself, yet he was but a rich fool. The fool, as the Wise man saith, knows not the way to the City: so a wicked man he knows not the way to heaven, he discerns not the difference, he provides not, he knows not the way thither, he cannot do one thing that is gracious, not one action that may further his account.

I might be very large in the point; it is profitable, because we do infinitely deceive ourselves in that point, which is of more consequence then the whole world: for the man is, as the rule that he is led by is; carnal men are led by carnal rules; gracious, and holy men guide their lives by heavenly wisdom, by a gracious rule.

Now if you find yourselves defective (for a good Christian may be defective in this: but if he have hearkened to carnal wisdom, if he have forgotten himself, if he have troubled himself too much about the world, he will come to his Centre again, he will come to his old way again, he will not be long out of it: his way and course is by grace. Sometimes he may have a policy that is not good, as David had, yet his way is gracious. I say, if you find yourselves defective) I will show some helps how we may guide ourselves, not by fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God; that is, by gracious wisdom, by the Spirit.

Now the Spirit leads us not immediately, but works Graces in us, and stirs up those Graces in us. The Spirit guides a godly man, by working grace in him by making him better, by using those graces in him. Sometimes the Spirit of God moves a wicked man, but it makes him not better; he puts conceits into his head, and makes him do that which otherwise he would not: but he is not bettered. The Spirit guides a good man by making him better, he works a gracious disposition, a gracious bent in him, that his judgment concurs with God's, his affections concur with the holy Spirit, and make him holy and pure. There is a disposition wrought in a good man like to the Spirit that sanctifies him, and like to the disposition of Christ to whose Image he is renewed.

Now that we may guide our lives by the Spirit working in us spiritual and gracious wisdom.

First of all, consider what I said before of fleshly wisdom: there are none but they have one of these two guides, either the flesh, and by consequent the devil: for the devil dwells in our carnal reason, that is his Fort, that is his Tower, his Castle. Carnal, fleshly Imagination is the Devils forge, there he works all his tools, all his Instruments: For the Devil works not so much immediately, as by carnal men that are led with him.

Our wit and policy, and carnal wisdom, it is the shop, the forge of the devil wherein he works all his mischief to overthow us. It is the Devils Work-house where he engines with all his tools and Instruments.

Then considering that there are but two guides; the flesh, the world, and Satan (which always go together in one) or God's Spirit and Grace; let us be willing to submit our thoughts and desires, to submit our projects and our aims and all to the Spirit of Grace: submit to the Word of grace, and to the motions of the Word: the Word of God having the Spirit of God accompanying of it, the Word of grace accompanied by the Spirit of Grace, is forcible as the Apostle saith, 1. Cor, 10. It beats down strong holds, strong Imaginations. Satan fortifies himself in strong holds, as the Scripture calls them, in high thoughts, working discoursive thoughts. Now when we come to hear the Word which teacheth the simple, sincere truth of God, that teacheth us how we should be saved, and how we should guide our lives: if we will be guided by grace, if we will yield to God's simple truth, let him erect a throne in us, let us lay down all. When we come to hear the Word, let us think, I come to hear the wisdom of heaven itself, I come to hear that Word that shall make me wise to salvation: I will not entertain projects. I will not entertain a wisdom that is contrary to it; when they rise in my soul contrary to the direction of the Spirit, and of the Word, down they shall, I will not own them: this is the wisdom of a man that intends to make grace his rule.

Now a carnal hearer, a carnal reader, a common Christian, he brings his naughty proud heart, he brings his high conceits to the hearing and reading of the Word, he comes as a Censurer, as a Judge, he comes to talk of what was said in this passage, and in that passage, he comes not as to hear God speak in his Ordinance, he comes not as a humble man: he comes not to hear it as the Ordinance of God with reverence, and that makes him come and go out again as a beast. As the beasts that went our of Noah's Ark, they went out as they came in: so many come into the Church and go out again as beasts, they go our worse then they came in: because they bring not hearts to submit themselves to God and to his Word: O, a spirit of subjection, it is a blessed thing.

Self-denial is some help to this, be content in the guiding of your common life, and in the guiding your way to salvation to be no wiser then God's Spirit, and God's Word will make you, to have no will nor no wisdom contrary to his will and wisdom: but you will live as men that have nothing of their own, nothing different from God; no distinct will, no contrary will, and wit to God, but you will let God take the guidance of you himself: and whom he guides must needs come to a happy end, as the Psalmist saith excellent well, Th •… wilt guide me by thy counsel, and after bring me to glory. Those that submit themselves to be guided by God's counsel, he will bring them to glory.

Serviceable to this is that which is pressed everywhere in the Scripture, Humility: God gives Grace to the humble; that is, he gives them not only forgiveness of sins, and acceptation to life, but he gives them grace for the regiment of their lives: he gives Grace to the humble. Those that humble their wits to God, (for there is a humiliation of the wit as well as of the affections) that they care not for the depths of Satan, they care not for School-tricks: they care to know nothing but Christ and him crucified, as S. Paul saith. God's Word is of Power and Majesty enough to save me, I need not bring my wit for my acceptance to God: it is truth that is accepted, not a strong brain to cavil, God gives Grace to the humble. Those that bring their understandings to be led and taught by God, he gives grace to them.

Again, in the third place, If we would have our thoughts guided by counsel, let us have a high esteem of wisdom, above all precious stones and pearls. Solomon presseth it: have a high estimation of wisdom, of the government of God's Spirit as the best government. And be out of love with carnal reason, with carnal affections and their guidance: account them as base things, not worthy to come into the esteem of a Christian heart. Those that highly prize wisdom, God will lead them by it: those that sell all for the pearl, shall have it. There must be a high price set on the guidance of God's Spirit, and on grace, (as indeed it is worthy of it) and then we shall have it.

Again, if we would lead our lives according to spiritual and heavenly wisdom, according to grace, and gracious wisdom; let us learn, as it is, Job 22. to be more and more acquainted with God by prayer: for grace comes not from within us. Grace is in Christ as in the root, as in the spring, as in the Sun; we have it but as the beam, as the stream: therefore let us learn to be acquainted with God, and with Christ by prayer and meditation, and search into his Word by reading, and by hearing him speak to us, and let us often speak to him.

Let us acquaint ourselves with him by prayer, and by hearing his Word, and then we shall have his grace to guide us. For grace is a fruit of his peculiar love; he gives grace to his own peculiar people. How do you think, shall he have a peculiar delight in us, if we labor not to be more and more acquainted with him? by often speaking to him, by often hearing of him, by coming into his presence, and attending as much as we can upon his holy Ordinances, by conversing as much as we can in the holy things of God. Those that will be warm, they come under the beams of the Sun: those that would have the Spirit work effectually, they must come where the Spirit is effectual, where the Spirit works. Now the Spirit is effectual in the Word preached: the Spirit fell upon Cornelius and the rest when they were hearing of S. Peter. And the Spirit is where there is conversing in good company; Where two or three are met together, I will be in the midst of them, saith Christ. If we walk with the wise, we shall be wiser.

It must be the heavenly wisdom of a Christian, if he would lead his life by grace, to attend upon all the means of grace: because the Spirit of God is effectual by his own means, he works by his own means; therefore use the means that the Spirit hath sanctified for the working of grace. I do wonder at a company of vain sottish creatures, that carry themselves according to their vain conceits, according to the whirling of their own brain, in toys and baubles that come into their heads; they care not for the hearing of God's blessed truth: either they abstain altogether, or else they hear it carelessly, as if it were a thing that concerned them not: Oh, but those that will lead their lives by grace, they come to it by the Spirit, and the Spirit is only effectual in holy Ordinances. It must be our wisdom therefore to bring ourselves under some means or other, that the Spirit may be effectual.

The wisest, and the best men in the world are no longer gracious then they are wise this way: if they neglect good company, good acquaintance, if they neglect the hearing of the Word, if they neglect prayer, they will grow dead, and dull, and carnal-minded; they will be possessed with base thoughts. How do men differ one from another? not so much by any habitual grace that is in them, as by avoiding all that might prejudice them in a Christian course, and by using all means whereby the Spirit of God may be effectual.

Again, the way ro be under the grace of God's Spirit is often to meditate of the grace of God, the free love of God in Jesus Christ: for so it comes first. The first grace of all is God's free love in the forgiving of our sins, and accepting us to life everlasting, and then he doth alter and change our natures more and more, he transforms us more and more: when we find therefore any defect of grace in our hearts, when we find coldness, and deadness, and dullness, go to the first fire, to the first Sun, to the free grace of God in Christ, pardoning all our sins, and accepting us to life everlasting, and promising us grace to lead our lives in the mean time. If you have fallen into any sin by the temptation of Satan, or your own weakness, beg not first grace to alter your course, to sanctify your life; but renew every day your interest in the first grace, in the forgiveness of sins, and your acceptation to everlasting life. For till God have pardoned your sins, and have witnessed to your souls that you stand reconciled, he will not give the best fruit of reconciliation, which is grace.

Therefore every day examine your lives, if you have offended God, in what terms you stand with God, and if you stand in ill terms, that there is any sin against conscience, the best way is not presently to amend that: for that will not be, except the heart be warmed with God's love and favor in the pardon of your sins first, and in the acceptation of you in Christ notwithstanding your sins: as, he justifieth us every day, not only in the first act of conversion, but daily, he acquits our consciences daily from our sins: and therefore in the Lord's Prayer, Christ teacheth us every day to say, Forgive us our sins. And then after forgiveness of sins, to beg the particular graces for our lives that we want. I would this were better thought on.

Challenge likewise the Covenant of grace, we have a promise of all grace; and the spring of all grace. We have a Promise of Love, God will teach us to Love one another. We have a promise of Fear, he hath promised, that He will put his fear into our hearts that we shall never depart from him. We have a promise of the holy Spirit, Let us challenge these Promises every day. So much for the Directions how to lead our lives by Grace.

Saint Paul here makes it the ground of his rejoicing, that he led not his life by fleshly wisdom, but in simplicity and sincerity, and by the Grace of God; and all that are led by S. Paul's spirit, live thus.

There is a Religion in the world that bears itself very big, on high terms, of Universality, Succession, Antiquity, &c. and they will have it thought to be a spiritual, and holy Religion. Well, if a man be a carnal man that is led with fleshly wisdom, and not by the grace of God, that Religion must needs be a naughty Religion, that hath only the support and the foundation of it in fleshly wisdom, which is an enemy, and opposite to the grace of God, and to simplicity and sincerity.

But Popery is this; Take it in the regiment, and government of it: Take it in the worship: Take it in the opinions, you may draw all to one of those three heads.

For the government of it: There is a wisdom, a wondrous wisdom, a fine subordination to one Head, the Pope, to hear all controversies, and under him the Cardinals, and under them the Generals, and all at Rome; and they have th eir Provincials under them: here is a wondrous fine subordination: butall this is by fleshly wisdom. For this beast riset out of the earth, and out of the Sea, out of the Tumult of the people, out of base earthly respects. Therefore it is said in the Revelation; when the Bishop of Rome became Pope, and was at the highest, that a Star fell: he fell when he rose: when he was at the highest, he was at the lowest; why? because his rising was carnal, and earthly: or lower if you will, it was hellish, and devilish.

Their government is opposite to Christ's Government, and being so, it must needs be mightily opposed by him again: and therefore it must needs down, the fabric of it being opposite to the frame of Christ's Government; though it be wondrous witty. Therefore in the Revelation, 666. is the Number of a man. If you mark the frame of the Romish policy, it is wondrous accurate, it goes smoothly, by tens, and by hundreds, 666. This Babylon is the number of a man; a fine policy: but it is but the number of a man, it is the device of carnal wisdom itself: therefore it is devilish wisdom. Thus it is in the government of it.

And their Worship is according to the wisdom of the flesh: some wisdom there is in not going to God immediately, but by Saints and Angels. What! is it not wisdom in the Princes Court, first to go to the Favorite, and by him to the Prince? So, is it not wisdom not to go directly to God▪ it is bold rashness to come immediately to God, but by Saints and Angels: This is the wisdom of a man, this is the wisdom of the flesh, Colos. 2. this is carnal wisdom, it is opposite against the truth.

Doth not Christ bid us come all to him? do Angels love us better then he? Is not he the great Favorite of heaven? I will not enter into controversy, but only show how they work by fleshly wisdom. Here is wisdom, when we cannot raise ourselves up to God, to bring him down to us. As in the Sacrament, they show carnal wisdom, Oh, it is a fine thing, that Christ's body and ours should be joined together; it seems to be a fine point, that Christ should be hid in the bread, &c. But here is no spiritual wisdom.

The union that the Scripture speaks of is by faith, ascending into heaven, laying hold on Christ there: and going back to the cross, and seeing Christ crucified there, and so he is meat indeed, and drink indeed, as we see him crucified, and satisfying God's wrath for us, for our sins.

And so again, is it not a pretty wisdom to draw men by pictures, and likenesses? are not men delighted with the Images of their friends and of their parents? and therefore is it not a good religious policy to have pictures of Christ, and pictures of God the Father? Here is wisdom correspondent to the dealing and affairs of men, but all this is fleshly wisdom. The Scripture speaks mightily against making of Images, the Word of God is directly against it: this is fleshly wisdom: Grace doth not rule here.

So, that the souls when they go out of this world being very unclean, that they should be purged, that there should be some satisfaction, some Purgatory, &c. here seems to be wisdom: but wherefore serves the blood of Christ then? that is the only Purgatory that purgeth from all sins, mortal sins, venial sins, all sins.

Again, is it not a seeming wisdom to come to heaven by our own works, by our own merits, that so we may set the people on to good works? or else we dull their spirits, and endeavors. I but this is fleshly wisdom, this is devilish wit, and so it will prove in the end: for the Scripture goes only to Christ, only Christ. We are saved by faith, only by Christ. I will not enter into the point, I only show you what a seeming wisdom they have, but it is not heavenly, but merely carnal.

And that their Religion is carnal, do but consider that all the points wherein they differ from us, may be resolved either to belly-policy, or to State-policy: either to ambition, and riches, or the belly. Wherefore is their Monarchy, all their great preferments, but to increase their ambition? Wherefore are their pardons, and indulgences, but to get money basely, as some of their own Writers confess? And their Purgatory, &c. these things be for carnal ends: it is a Religion fitted for their own ends. They make what they list to serve them; Religion, Nature, Reason, Conscience, whatsoever is good, they make all stoop to interest their own cause in. Their orders, that is, their spiritual good, must be their advancement, it is but a color put uponcarnal ends. The spiritual good is their own advancement, they aim at their own peculiar interest in all their villainies: As if God stood in need of our lie; as if God's glory were advanced by the Devil.

As well their Government as their Religion is lies, it is defended by lies, by equivocation, and rebellion, by withdrawing the allegiance of Subjects, and murthering of Princes: Laws, and Religion, and all must stoop to their wisdom, under pretence of bonum spiritual. These things are known. I do but touch them, to breed a deeper hatred of this Religion which is altogether fleshly and carnal. And so far as they are led by carnal wisdom, they are not led by the grace of God. Wherefore is their lying for advantage? their dispensations, and horrible allowing of anything? is it not merely carnal wisdom?

In a word, their Religion is merely policy, if it be not too good a word for it; it is merely carnal policy, it came not from heaven but from the bottomless pit.

Then they fell from heaven when they grew to their highest, when they were in their top. This I thought good to touch collaterally from the Text, which doth characterize a true Christian indeed in his temper, that he is joyful when he is as he should be; and the ground of it is from a good conscience; and that good conscience ariseth out of a course of life and conversation led in simplicity and sincerity to God. (For Religion hath majesty enough in itself, without far fetches and devices.) And the principle from whence, By the grace of God; in the evidence of the Spirit, and not according to fleshly, and carnal wisdom.

In a word therefore, labor that from the evidence of the Spirit, having your souls sanctified by the Spirit, you may reflect on yourselves, and look into your lives, and say truly, as S. Paul doth here; My care in my course of life and conversation hath been in Simplicity, I have cast myself upon God and his government, and not looked to the world: and in sincerity I have aimed at God in all things, I have had no false, and by aims, I have not spared even my life by any carnal end. I have not served myself either in Religion, or in my course of life, but I have labored to serve God in serving my brethren, and have led my life by the grace of God, and by the Word of grace, which I labored to know that I might follow. Let us be able in some measure, in truth to say thus. And then we may say further with S. Paul, That this is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience; We shall never want joy. And then let the world judge of us as it will, there is such a strength and power, such a prerogative, and majesty in Christian comfort, when a man can (as I said) reflect thus on himself, that though in a weak measure, yet in truth, his conversation and course of life hath been (though his slidings have been something) in simplicity, and sincerity, that nothing can daunt it in this world.

It is above all discouragement, above all eclipse of good name, the testimony of Conscience, which hath God's testimony with it.

The witness of two is a strong witness: the witness of God, and conscience it will so settle our souls, that neither ill reports nor any usage in the world shall daunt us: we shall have comfort in all the passages of our lives be they what they will. Whereas other men that lead not their lives in a constant course of holy simplicity and sincerity, they are as the Prophet saith, like the leaves of the Forest, shaken with every alteration, with every rumour of ill news. But a sound Christian in the worst alteration, there may be combustions, there may be alteration of State, yet his heart is fixed, he is not moved.

Likewise, in the hour of death he can say with Hezekiah, Thou knowest, Lord, I have led my life in simplicity, that I have served thee with a perfect heart; that is, in sincerity. I have desired, and endeavored to grow better; which is all the perfection we have in this world: sincerity witnessed by growth, and strength against the contrary, this will comfort us in all the alterations, and changes in this world, (which is as a Sea, full of trouble,) and at the hour of death likewise, and at the day of Judgment; this is that only that will make us able to look Christ in the face.

Truth hath a Divinity in it (this simplicity and sincerity) more then any earthly thing; it hath that in it that is real, and spiritual.

A man that hath the Grace of God in the truth of it, there is a great deal of majesty in it. There is the greatest majesty in heavenly things when they appear most simple, because of their excellency. There is something of God's in sincerity: so much as a man hath in truth, so much of God's: He partakes of the Divine nature, as S. Peter saith, so much as he hath in truth, though it be never so little: and being a branch of God, it will make him look upon God in the day of Judgment. Why? because he knows he is in the Covenant of Grace, that he hath title to heaven by Christ.

When a man's conscience can tell him that he hath led his life, not by carnal wisdom, but in the truth of Grace, it will make him out-look Satan, and all the troubles of the world, and look unto Christ with comfort. Who would not be in such a state? Thus we see a Christian leads his life, Not in fleshly wisdom, but by the Grace of God. I will add one thing more, and so finish the verse.

We may see hence, That the most Religious men are the best Statesmen.

I know, proud carnal Machivillian dispositions make a scorn at these positions, they think them to be austere, and poor principles, till they come to death: As that Wretch said himself when he came to die, That he had provided for all things but for death: but while they are in their ruffe, they think they can manage States, and do all. When indeed they bring the vengeance of God upon their own persons, and upon the State they live in: For God is neither in them, nor with them. He is not in them: for they want Grace, they are led by carnal wisdom altogether. And he is not with them: God will not give them good success, unless it be to increase their Judgment. He will not give good success to those projects that they take up contrary to his rule.

Therefore those that will be guided by reasons of Religion, and submit themselves to the guidance of God's blessed Spirit, they are best for the state of their own souls, and best for the public estate. For, doth not God know the mysteries of State better then any man? Is not he a better Politician then any Achitophel in the world. If they have any State-policy that is worth the naming, is it not from him? Is it not a beam from that Sun? Yes, why then who is the better? (the difference of parts excepted,) but take them alike, a gracious man, and another that is not so: let the one fetch his counsel from hell, from darkness, and the other be ruled by reasons of conscience, and Religion, there is no comparison.

God will cross and curse their projects that are for their own ends, both in themselves, and in the State too.

As for the other that are under Grace, and the government of Grace, God will be wise in them by his Spirit, and he will be wise for them, Psal. 1. Whatsoever a good man doth, it shall prosper: it is a large promise. How wondrous happy, and wise were the Children of Israel when they kept the Covenant of God? This is your wisdom, to keep the Commandments of God, Deuteron. 4. and their wisdom made them happy. How happy were they in David's time, who made the Statutes of God, the Man of his Counsel? How happy was the State in Solomon's time? till Solomon did warp, and bend to Carnal counsel, to strengthen himself? How happy was his Government till that time? but never after that; they were environed with enemies round about: but alas, who could hurt the people of God, so long as they submitted themselves to the government of grace? they were always happy.

Therefore it is an idle thing to suppose that there will be any good success by carnal projects: no, the only good States-man is the religious man. And it was never better with the Church of God before or since the time of Christ, then when those were in the stern. Do but think of this oft, as S. Jude saith, God only wise: we must all of us light our candle at that fire.

All wisdom, even this poor spark of reason, that God enlighteneth every man that comes into the world withal, it comes from Christ Jesus: In him are all the treasures of wisdom, God, and God-man, only wise. There is no wisdom without him, therefore let us submit ourselves to his Government; let us pray to him, and seek for wisdom of him in all things. But I go on to the next Verse.