of all the means. When we know once that | teries of nature, though he were studying or disheaven contains the only felicity of man, it will cussing the notions of theology, though he were direct us to heavenly thoughts, and to such spi- admired for his learning and wisdom by the ritual means as are fitted to that end: if we have world, and cried up as the oracle of the earth, the right mark in our eye, we are more likely to he is all the while but playing the fool, and level at it, than if we mistake our mark. He is going a cleanlier way to hell than the grosser sinthe wise man, and only he, who hath steadily ners of the world! For is he wise that knows fixed his eye upon that blessedness which he not whether heaven or earth be better? Whewas created and redeemed for, and makes straight ther God or his flesh should be obeyed? Whether towards it, and bends the powers of soul and everlasting joys, or the transitory pleasures of body, by faithful, constant diligence, to obtain it. sin, should be preferred? Or that seems to be He who hath rightly and resolvedly determined convinced of the truth in these and such like of his end, hath virtually resolved a thousand cases, and yet hath not the wisdom to make his controversies that others are unsatisfied and er- choice, and bend his life according to his convicroneous in; he that is resolved that his end is tion? He cannot be wise that practically misto please and glorify God, and to enjoy him for takes his end. ever, is easily resolved whether a holy life, or a sensual and worldly, be the way: whether the way is to be godly, or to make a mock at godliness whether covetousness and riches, ambition and preferment, voluptuousness and fleshly pleasures, be the means to attain his end: whether it will be attained rather by the studying of the word of God, and meditating on it day and night, and by holy conference, fervent prayer, and an obedient life; or by negligence, or worldliness, or drunkenness, or gluttony, or cards and dice, or beastly filthiness, or injustice and deceit. Know once, but whither it is that we are going, and it is easy to know whether the saint or the swaggerer, be in the way.

But a man that mistakes his end, is out of his way at the first step; and the further he goes, the further he is from true felicity; and the more he errs, and the further he hath to go back | again, if ever he return. Every thing that a man doth in the world, which is not for the right end, the heavenly felicity, is an act of foolishness and error, how splendid soever the matter or the name may make it appear to ignorant men. Every word that an ungodly person speaks, being not for a right end, is in him but sin and folly, however materially it may be an excellent and useful truth. While a miserable soul hath his back upon God, and his face upon the world, every step he goes is an act of folly, as tending to his further misery. It can be no act of wisdom, which tends to a man's damnation. When such a person begins to inquire and bethink him where he is, and whither he is going, and whither he should go, and to think of turning back to God, then, and never till then, he is beginning to come to himself, and to be wise. Till God and glory be the end that he aims at, and seriously bends his study, heart, and life to seek, though a man were searching into the mys

3. He that walks with God knows those things with a deep, effectual, heart-changing knowledge, which other men know but superficially, by halves, and as in a dream. True wisdom consists in the intensiveness of the knowledge subjectively, as much as in the extensiveness of it objectively. To see a few things in a narrow room perspicuously and clearly, doth show a better eye-sight than in the open air to see many things obscurely, so as scarcely to discern any of them aright: like him that saw men walk like trees. The clearness and depth of knowledge, which makes it effectual to its proper use, is the greatness and excellency of it: therefore it is that unlearned men, who love and fear the Lord, may well be said to be incomparably more wise and knowing men than the most learned that are ungodly. As he hath more riches who hath a little gold or jewels, than he who hath many load of stones: so he who hath a deep effectual knowledge of God the Father, and the Redeemer, and of the life to come, is wiser and more knowing than he who hath only a notional knowledge of the same things, and of a thousand more. A wicked man hath so much knowledge, as teaches him to speak the same words of God, Christ, and heaven, which a true believer speaks; but not so much as to work in him the same affections and choice, nor so much as to cause him to do the same work. As it is a far more excellent kind of knowledge, which a man hath of any country by travel and habitation there, than that which comes but by reading or report, or which a man hath of meat, of fruits, of wines, by eating and drinking, than that which another hath by hearsay; so is the inward heart-affecting knowledge of a true believer, more excellent than the flashy notions of the ungodly. Truth, simply as truth, is not the highest and most excellent object of the mind: but good, as

good, must be apprehended by the understanding, | such a teacher. Those that follow the flesh and and commended to the will, which entertains it the world, do follow the devil: they that will bewith complacency, adheres to it with choice and lieve what their fleshly interests and lusts perresolution, prosecutes it with desire and endea- suade them to believe, do believe what the devil vour, and enjoys it with delight. Though it be persuades them to believe; for he persuades the understanding which apprehends it, yet it is them by these, and for these. What marvel the heart or will that relishes it, and tastes the then, if there be found men in the world, that greatest sweetness in it, working upon it with can believe that holiness is hypocrisy, or a needsome mixture of internal sense, which hath made less thing;-that those are the worst men that some ascribe a knowledge of good, as such, unto are most careful to please God ;-that the world the will. It is the will's intention that causes is more worthy of their care and labour, than the understanding to be denominated practical: their salvation is ;-that the pleasures of sin therefore I may well say, that it is wisdom in- for a season are more desirable, than the everdeed when it reaches to the heart. No man lasting happiness of the saints; that cards, dice, knows the truth of God so well as he that most mirth, lust, wealth, and honour, are matters more firmly believes him: no man knows the goodness delectable than prayer, and meditating on the of God so well as he that loves him most: no word of God, and loving him, and obeying him, man knows his power and mercy so well as he and waiting in the hope of life eternal; that that doth most confidently trust him: no man gluttons, and drunkards, and whoremongers, and knows his justice and judgment so well as he covetous persons, may enter into the kingdom of that fears him: no man knows or believes the God, &c. What wonder, if a thousand such glory of heaven so well as he that most esteems, lies are believed by the disciples of the father desires, and seeks it, and hath the most heaven- of lies! What wonder, if there are so many ly heart and conversation: no man believes in haters of God in the world, as to fill the earth Jesus Christ so well, as he that gives up himself with persecutions and cruelties, or make a scorn unto him, with the greatest love and thankful- of that which God most highly values; and all ness, trust, and obedience. As James saith this under pretence of order, or unity, or justice, 'show me thy faith by thy works,' so say I, or something that is good, and therefore fit to Let me know the measure and value of my know- palliate their sin! Is there any thing so false, ledge by my heart and life. That is wisdom in- or foul, or wicked, that Satan will not teach his deed, which conforms a man to God, and saves followers? Is he grown modest, or moderate, his soul: this only will be owned as wisdom to or holy, or just? Is he reconciled to Christ, to eternity, when dreaming notions will prove but scripture, to godliness, or to the godly? Or is folly. his kingdom of darkness at an end? And hath he lost the earth? Or are men therefore none of the servants of the devil, because they were baptized, as Simon Magus was, and call and think themselves the servants of Christ? As if still it were not the art by which he gets and keeps disciples, to suffer them to wear the livery of Christ, and to use his name, that he may thus keep possession of them in peace, who else would be frighted from him, and fly to Christ!

4. He that walks with God hath an infallible rule, and takes the right course to have the best acquaintance with it, and skill to use it. The doctrine that informs him is divine; it is from heaven, and not of men: therefore if God be wiser than man, he is able to make his disciples wisest; and teaching will more certainly and powerfully illuminate. Many among men have pretended to infallibility, that never could justify their pretensions, but have confuted them by their own mistakes and crimes: but none can deny the infallibility of God. He never yet was deceived, or did deceive; he errs not, nor teaches error: Nicodemus knew Christ was to be believed, when he knew that he was a teacher come from God. Christ knew that the Jews themselves durst not deny the truths of John's doctrine, if he could but convince them that it was 'from heaven, and not of men. It is impossible for God to lie:' it is the devil that was a liar from the beginning, and is yet the father of lies. No wonder if they believe lies that follow

He will give them leave to study arts and sciences, and to understand things excellent of inferior use, so be it they will be deceived by him in the matters of God and their salvation. He can allow them to be learned lawyers, excellent physicians, philosophers, politicians, to be skilful artists, so be it they will follow him in sin to their ruin, and will overlook the truth that should set them free. Yea he will permit them where there is no remedy, to study the holy scriptures, if he may but be the expounder and applier of it: yea, he will permit them notionally to understand it, if they will not learn by it to be

converted, to be holy, and to be saved: he can | its office in this senseless case, though a man

both know and consider of the same truths, which in their nature are most powerful to cleanse and govern and save his soul, yet sluggishness doth enervate them: he knows them as if he knew them not, and considers them as if he never thought of them: they work little more upon him, than if he believed them not, or had never heard of them even as a dream of the greatest matters moves not the sleeper from his pillow: in this senseless state the devil can do almost any thing with a sinner: he can make him sin against his knowledge: when conscience hath frightened him into some kind of penitence, and made him cry out, I have sinned and done foolishly, and caused him to promise to do so no more; yet doth the devil prevail with him to go on and to break his promises, as if he had never

suffer them to be eminent divines, so they will not be serious Christians. Thus is the world by the grand deceiver hurried in darkness to perdition, being taken captive by him at his will. But the sanctified are all illuminated by the Holy Ghost, by whom their eyes are so effectually opened, that they are turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God.' The Father of glory hath given them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Christ, that the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, they may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' Certainly that illumination of the Holy Ghost, which is so often mentioned in scripture as given to all true believers, is not a fancy, nor an insignificant name: if it signifies any thing, it signifies some-been convinced of his sins, or confessed them, or what that is much above the teaching of man. All that walk with God are taught of God. Can man teach like God? God hath access unto the heart, and there he doth transcribe his laws, and put them into our inward parts. They that walk with him have not only his word to read, but his Spirit to help them to understand it and being with him in his family, yea, he dwells in them, and they in him; he is ready at hand to resolve their doubts: when he gave them his fear, he gave them the beginning of wisdom. He causes them to incline their ear to wisdom, and to apply their hearts unto it, and makes them to know it in the hidden parts.

seen any reason or necessity to amend: he doth but imprison the truth in unrighteousness, and bury it in a senseless heart: whereas if you could but awaken all the powers of his soul, to give this same truth its due entertainment, and take it deeper into his heart, it would make him even scorn the baits of sin, and see that the ungodly are beside themselves, and make him presently resolve and set upon a holy life. Hence it is, that sickness which causes men to receive the sentence of death, doth usually make men bewail their former sinful lives, and marvel that they could be before so sottish as to resist such known and weighty truths: and it makes them purpose and promise reformation, and wish themselves in the case of those that they were wont before to deride and scorn: because now the truth is more deeply received and digested, by their awakened souls, and appears in its proper evidence and strength. There is no man but must acknowledge, that the same truth doth at one time command his soul, which at another time seems of little force: it is a wonder to observe

It is his law that they have determined to make their rule; they live as under his authority: they are more observant of his will and government, than of any laws or government of man. As they obey man in and for the Lord, so they do it in subordination to him, and therefore not against him and his laws, which being the standard of justice, and the rule of rulers, and of subjects both, they are in the safest way of unerring wisdom, who walk with God accord-how differently the same consideration works with ing to that rule, and refuse to turn aside, though a man when he is awakened, and when he is in commanded by man, or enticed by Satan, the a secure, stupid state. world, or the flesh.

Now this is his advantage that walks with 5. He that walks with God is the most con- God: he is much more frequently than others siderate person, and therefore hath great advan-awakened to a serious apprehension of the things tage to be wise. The frequent and serious which he understands: the thoughts of the prethoughts of God, awaken all the powers of sence of the most holy God, will not suffer him the soul, so that drowsiness doth not hinder the to be secure and senseless as others are, or as understanding, and so occasion its deceit: there he is himself, when he turns aside from this heais scarcely a more common and powerful cause venly conversation. He hath in God such exof men's folly, delusion, and perdition, in all the ceeding transcendent excellencies, such greatworld, than that sleepiness and stupidity which ness, such goodness, continually to behold, that hinders reason from the vigorous performance of it keeps his soul in a much more serious, lively

8. Walking with God doth take off the vizor of deluding things, and keeps us out of the reach and power of those objects and arguments which are the instruments of deceit. When a man hath been believingly and seriously with God, how easily can he see through the sophistry of the tempting world! How easily can he practically confute the reasonings of the flesh! and discern the dotage of the seeming subtleties of wicked men, that will needs think they have reason for that which is displeasing to their Maker, and tends to the damning of their souls! So far as a man is conversant with God, so far he is sensible that all things are nothing, which can be offered as a price to hire him to sin: that the name of preferment, honour, and wealth, or of disgrace, imprisonment, and death, are words almost of no signification, as to the tempter's ends, to draw the soul from God and duty. It is men that know not God, and know not what it is to walk with him, that think these words so big and powerful, to whom wealth and honour do signify more than God and heaven; and poverty, disgrace and death, do signify more than God's displeasure and everlasting punishment in hell. As it is easy to cheat a man that is far from the light, so is it easy to deceive the most learned man that is far from God.

frame, than any other means could keep it in: 7. He that walks with God, hath the great so that whenever any truth or duty is presented master-truths upon his heart which are the standto him, all his faculties are awake and ready to ard of the rest, and the stock, as it were, out of observe and improve it. A sermon, or a good which they spring. The great truths about God, book, or godly conference, or a mercy, when a grace, and glory, have a greater power than many man hath been with God in prayer and contem- | hundred truths of an inferior nature. Moreover, plation, will relish better with him, and sink much such a one is sure that he shall be wise in the deeper, than at another time. Nay, one serious greatest and most necessary points. He is guilty thought of God himself, will do more to make a of no ignorance or error that shall keep him out man truly and solidly wise, than all the reading of heaven, or hinder his acceptance with his and learning in the world, which shuts him out. God. If he be wise enough to please God and 6. Walking with God doth fix the mind, and to be saved, he is wise indeed, as before was keep it from diversions and vagaries, and con- hinted. sequently much helpeth to make men wise. A struggling mind is empty and unfurnished. He that hath no dwelling, for the most part hath no wealth. Wandering is the beggar's life. Men do but bewilder and lose themselves, and not grow wise, whose thoughts are ranging in the corners of the earth, and are like masterless dogs, that run up and down according to their fancy, and may go any whither, but have business no where. The creature will not fix the soul: but God is the centre of all our thoughts: in him only they may unite, fix, and rest. He is the only loadstone that can effectually attract and hold it stedfast to himself. Therefore he that walks with God is the most constant and unmovable of men: let prosperity or adversity come; let the world be turned upside down, and the mountains be hurled into the sea, yet he changes not let men allure or threat, let them scorn or rage, let laws, customs, government, and interest change, he is still the same. For he knows that God is still the same, and that his word changes not. Let that be death one year, which was the way to reputation another, and let the giddy world turn about as the seasons of the year, this changes not his mind and life, though in things lawful he is of a yielding temper: for he knows that the interest of his soul doth not change with the humours or interests of men : he still fears sinning, for he knows that judgment is still drawing on, in all changes and seasons whatsoever he is still set upon the pleasing of the most holy God, whoever be uppermost among men; as knowing that the God whom he serves is able to deliver him from man, but man is not able to deliver him from God. He still goes on in the holy path, as knowing that heaven is as sure and as desirable as ever it was. 6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord: his heart is established, he shall not be afraid.'

9. Walking with God, doth greatly help us against the deceitful and erroneous disposition of our own hearts. The will hath a very great power upon the understanding: therefore ungodly, fleshly men will very hardly receive any truth which crosses the carnal interest or disposition: and will hardly let go any error that feeds them: because their corrupted wills are a bias to their understandings, and make them desperately partial in all their reading and hearing, and hypocritical in their prayers and inquiries after truth. Interest and corruption lock up their hearts from their own observation. Whereas a man that walks with God, who is jealous, holy, and just, and a searcher of the heart,