miderstandinp;s ; they have a large conscience, antl more liberty to do what they will ; so that a child of God is gone if it were to oppose craft with craft ; and usually they carry their matters more subLilly, laying hidden snares and profound counsels ; whereas the children of God cany it simply and plainly. But then there is a wise God to act for a foolish ptople, and sometimes God may give his people great abilities ; as dosi'ph was wiser than his brethren, Moses wiser than tlie Egyptians, Daniel than all the magicians of J5abylon. But yet usually jjarts and secular wisdom are given to the enemies. Only a child of God hath this jjoint of wisdom above the enemies, he taketh in with the wise God, which is the ready and compendious way to success ; whereas secular wisdom takes a long way about, and must work through many mediums and subordinate causes before the intended effect can be brought about: Ps. xxxvii. 12, 13, 'The wicked plotteth against the just.' (^od is the other party : ' The Lord shall laugh at him ; for he seeth that his day is coming.' He doth not say the just counterbalance the wicked, or strains his wit to match his enemy with craft, but God hath a providence and love, ever waking on his behalf ; therefore it lies not between policy and piety, but between men's craft and God's wis- dom. Then he hath the power of God on his side, and therefore he is wiser than his enemies, he is of the stronger side : Gen. xvii. 1, ' I am God all-sufHcient ; walk before me and be thou perfect.' All warping comes from doubting of God's all-sufBciency, evidenced by our carnal fear, and our distrustful care what sliall become of us and how we shall do to live. Certainly, if God be able, we need not doubt, or run to in- direct courses. Again, he hath him of his side who hath dominion over all events. Carnal policy is full of jealousies ; they know not what will succeed, they have no sure bottom to stand upon ; they are not sure of events, when their business is never so well laid. But now a child of God is wiser, and hath much the more comfortable course, as well as successful ; he can do his duty, and leave the event to God. AVhen a business is never so well and cunningly laid, yet God loves to dispose of events, and to ' take the wise in their own craft,' Job v. 12, 13. They are outwitted, and they outreach themselves, that so ChrisL may, as it were, get upon the devil's shoulders, and even be beholden to his enemies. Never are they such fools as when they seem to say things wisely against God and his people. Carnal wisdom is the greatest folly : it brought Moses to the flags, but Pharaoh to the bot- tom of the sea. The devil was the first fool of all the creation, and ever since his first attempts against his God he hath been playing the fool lor these thousands of years. The tempting our first parents seemed a masteii)iece of wit, but it was indeed the ruin of his king- dom. So in the attempts of wicked men against his people, God still disposeth of the event contrary to their aim.
[2.] As long as God hath work for him to do, he will maintain him and bear him out in the midst of all dangers ; that is certain ; as lie did David in the very flice of Saul. There is an invisible guard set, upon plain-hearted and zealous Christians ; every day they do, as it were, by their pleading against the corruptions of wicked men, exas- perate them ; they are in the secret of God's presence, and are kept none know how ; none so nigh to dangers, yet none so free from them ;
VePv. 98.] SERMONS UPON I'SALM CXIX. 5
ill the lion's moutli, yet preserved, as Christ lived in the midst of his enemies, yet they could not touch him till his hour was come, John xi. 8-10. Christ had work to do in Judea : ' Master,' say the dis- ciples, ' the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again ? And Jesus answered, Are there not twelve liours in the day ? jt any man walk in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world ; hut if a man walk in the night he stumbleth, be- cause there is no light in him.' In the disciples' question is bewrayed the true genius of carnal fear. Oh, men say, why will you go run yourself into the mouth of danger ? They think the discharge of duty \vill cost them their utter ruin : ' Master, the Jews sought to kill thee.' Now Christ's answer showeth that men should not choose their way according to their apprehensions of danger and safety, but as God cleareth a call to them ; he answers by a similitude taken from God's order in the course of nature. God made the day for work, and the night for rest and sleep ; now as long as men have daylight they will not stumble, but if they set forth in the night, then they would stumble. The meaning is, as long as a man hath a clear call from God (for a call from God is compared to the day), and can say. This is a duty God hath put upon me, he hath daylight, he shall not stumble ; though he doth come and go in the face and teeth of enemies on God's cause, and plead against their corruptions and base miscar- riages, he shall not stumble. Indeed, when a man is in the dark, and knows not what God's mind is, then he is ever and anon stumbling. A Christian is to study his duty rather than his danger, and then leave the care of all events to God ; he is in a safe course when he is in Clod's way, and shall not be interrupted till he have finished his work: Luke xiii. 31, 32, ' The Pharisees said unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence, for Herod will kill thee. And he said. Go tell that fox, Jiehold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' If he cast himself into troubles, he is sure they are not sinfully procured ; but men that run on danger v/ith- out a calling may meet witli many a snare, or he that doth not observe his call meet wit'n more difhculties than ever he thought of: 1 Peter iii. 13, 'And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good ? ' The best way to eschew trouble is to adhere closely to what is right in tlie sight of God ; he can allay their fury, putting convictions upon their conscience. A man would think to stand nicely upon terms of duty is to run in harm's way ; and there are none so nmch harmed, maligned, and opposed in the world as those that follow that which is good, as those that will have no fellowship with the un- fruitful works of darkness, but will reprove them rather ; possibly they may hate and malign you if you keep to that which is good, but they cannot harm your consciences. God can allay the rage of men, by putting convictions upon their consciences, evidencing your sincerity ; as the history saith, when the Arians persecuted the orthodox Chris- tians, they durst not meddle with Paulinus out of reverence. There- fore who will harm you if you be followers of that which is good ?