IT

it not.

V.

T is the Wifeft among the Children SER M. of Men, who speaks; and about That, which most nearly concerns Us, and He best understood, even the Method of attaining True Wisdom: It becomes us, therefore,

V.

SER M. therefore, to give the most fix'd and ferious Attention, we can, to what he is faying.

A Scorner, faith he, Jeeketh Wisdom, and findeth it not. Where we are, first, to enquire, Who it is, that is reprefented to us, under the Character of a Scorner; and, then, in what Sense he is faid to feek Wisdom, but not to find it.

The Scorner is One, who is frequently mention'd in this Book of Proverbs; and against whom the Author of it hạth levell'd no fmall Number of his Apophthegms, and wife Sayings. We find in the Pfalms, and Prophetick Writings also, many Glances at him, many Complaints of him: fo that the Nation of the Jews did, it seems, abound mightily with this Sort of Men; and they were a Great and Particular Grievance to the Followers of True Piety and Wisdom.

Their Character feems, in fhort, to have been This. They were Men, that, with much ado, had made a fhift to get rid of Good Principles, and fuch ftiff Opinions, as they found inconfiftent with a Loose

SERM.

a Loose Practice. As they had not any Religion themselves, fo their Way was to defpife Those who had; to look down with Pity and Contempt upon a poor deluded Under-World; Beafts of Burthen that follow'd, in a Track, after their Leaders; Slaves to receiv'd Rules, and Precarious Opinions, to Foolish Empty Forms and Obfervances; but who never once reafon'd freely, or thought for Themfelves. They were unfortunately fallen into a Time, when frequent Commotions hapned in the Jewish State (as the Cafe remarkably was, in the Age before Solomon came to the Throne) and had feen several Sorts of Men uppermoft, and, confequently, feveral Notions of things prevailing by Turns. This contributed mightily to unfettle their Thoughts, or (as they call'd it doubtless) to enlarge them; to create in them a flight Opinion of the Eternal Differences of Right and Wrong, Good and Evil; and to make them laugh at Thofe, who were Eager on any Side, or for any Cause whatsoever, which they did not get by,

They

V.

They evidently saw that Some, who fat up for greater Purity, and a Demurer Shew and Face of Religion than their Neighbours, were really Counterfeits, and meant nothing, at the bottom, but Their own Intereft. And they wifely refolv'd, upon this, that All Religion was, like Theirs, a Convenient Trick and Pretence only; invented by Cunning Men to keep filly People in awe, to make Princes Reign fafely, and the Priesthood Live easily. But as for Them, they knew better things than to fall in with the Herd, and to give themselves up to be ridden by the Tribe of Levi; the Poorest and most Contemptible Tribe of the Twelve, which had no Lot, no Inheritance among their Brethren; but liv'd upon the Cheat of Sacrifices and Offerings, and upon driving a Gainful Traffick for the Good Things of This World, here paid down to them, by pro, mifing and preaching up to Those they dealt with, a Recompence in a World to

come.

Nor were these Men content to enjoy this Secret, which they had thus found out

V.

out, quietly among themfelves; but fet SERM up openly for Profelytes, and a Party; for running down all Religion, and for laughing Piety and Virtue out of Countenance: fo that a Good and Honeft Man was fure to be their Mark, wherefoever they found him; and they were ever shooting their Arrows against him, Pf. Ixiv. even Bitter Words. And this was come 3. to that pass, that the True Servants of God did almoft fink under the Affliction; and did make it matter of Publick Request to God in the Solemn Service of the Church, to be freed from it:----Have mer- Pf.cxxiiî. cy upon us, O Lord, faid They, have mercy upon us, for we are exceedingly filled with Contempt. Our Soul is exceedingly filled with the Scorning of Thofe that are at Eafe, and with the Contempt of the Proud.

This is, in fome measure, the Character of That Man, who, in the Language of the Text, is call'd A Scorner; and You fee now, in what Sense he is said to feek Wisdom, but not to find it. For the meaning of these Expreffions is plainly this; That He pretends to know more, and to fee farther, than the rest of Mankind;

to

3,4.