All this is required of those that would be truly pure ; and ' this will be your wisdom,' Deut. iv. 6, how troublesome soever it be in the flesh, and inconvenient in the world : the flesh may judge it folly, and the world a fond scrupulosity ; but it is a high point of wisdom to be one of 'the world's fools,' 1 Cor. iii. 18. The wisdom required in the world is a holy innocency, not a Machiavellian guile, Mat. X. 19. What is more wise than to manage actions in the fear of God, direct them to the glory of God, and conform them to the will of God ? Others may be more able to spin out a web of sin, or for worldly contrivance ; but no matter though your souls enter not into that secret.2 It is the glory of a man to be a fool in sin, and wise in grace. Let it be your care, then, to drive on the great design of holi- ness ; this will confoi'm you to God, which is man's excellency ; bring you to enjoy God, which is man's happiness : Mat. v. 8 ; Heb. xii. 14.
Ohs. 2. True wisdom is peaceable, and void of strifes and conten- tions. Solomon, the wisest king, hath his name from Peace : Christ, who is ' the wisdom of the Father,' is also ' our Peace.' It is one of the honours of God, ' the God of peace,' 2 Thes. iii. 16 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 33. Peace is the purchase of Christ, the work of the Spirit. The great design of heaven was to make peace between two of the greatest enemies — God and sinful man. It is one of the great privileges of heaven ; all is quiet and peaceable there : thunder is in the lower regions ; in the lower parts are heat and cold, moisture and drowth, contrariant qualities and creatures. It were easy to expatiate upon so sweet an argument. But loose praises do but entice the fancy
^Socrates Scholasticus, Eccles. Hist., lib. ii. - See before on ver. 1-3.
314 AN EXPOSITION, WITH NOTES, [JaS. III. 17.
into pleasing imaginations ; distinct discussions usually are more powerful, to which I must gird up the discourse more closely. There is a sweet connection between peace and wisdom : Moses is renowned for wisdom and meekness ; the wisest, and yet the meekest man upon earth in his time. Tlie more cool the spirit is, the more freedom for wise debate. Holiness is a Christian's ornament, and peaceableness is the ornament of holiness. The Alcoran saith, God created the angels of light, and the devils of the flame : Certainly God's children are children of the light, but Satan's instruments are furious, wrathful, all of a flame.
But you will say, Wherein must we be peaceable ? I answer — True Christians will strive to keep peace, to make peace ; to preserve it where it is, to reduce it where it is lost ; they are elprjviKoi, peace- able, and elprjvoTToioi, jieacemaker's.
First, They are peaceable ; neither offering wrong to others, nor revenging wrong when it is offered to themselves ; which indeed are the two tilings that preserve human societies in any quiet, whereas violence and rigorous austerities disturb them. This is your wisdom, then, to be harmless and innocent. The world may count it an effeminate softness, but it is the truest prudence, the ready way to a blessing. It is said, Mat. v. 5, ' The meek shall inherit the earth.' Others keep a bustle, invading other men's right and propriety , yet, when all is done, the meek have the earth. A man would think they should lose their patrimony, yet they hold by the safest and surest tenure. And as they offer no wrong, so they pardon it when it is offered to them : those that see they have so much need of pardon from God, they pardon others. God is not inexorable : how often doth he overcome evil with good ! And truly when God is so ready to hear, men should be more ingenuously facile. Men think it is generous to keep up their anger ; alas ! it is but a sorry weakness ; infirmitas aninwsitatis, as Austin calleth it, the weakness of strength of stomach. David, the wronged party, sought peace, Ps. cxxvii. 7: it is more suital^le to the pattern. God, the party injured, ' loved us first,' 1 John iv. 19 ; and Jesu.s Christ, ' in the night in which he was betrayed,' 1 Cor. xi. 23, instituted the supper, consigning to man the highest mysteries, when man did him the most spite. iSo when he was crucified, he prayed for his enemies. Christians have little reason to think of recompensing evil for evil : no spirit more unsuitable to your profession than revenge ; it is sweet to you, but very odious to God. Certainly they must needs be prejudiced against the expecta- tion of pardoning mercy that examine all things by extreme right. Some observe that David was never so rigid as wlien he lay under his sins of adultery and murder; then 'he put the Ammonites under saws and harrows of iron, and made them pass the brick- kilns,' 2 Sam. xii. 31.