' Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent,' &c.
But to come more particularly to the words, ' Who is wise, and he shall understand these things ? ' The holy man of God here in his exhortation, naming wisdom, singUng out ' wise and prudent ' men, ' Who is wise, and who is prudent ?' he toucheth men upon the quick, right vein ; for who is there that would not be thought wise and prudent ? A corrupt man naturally rather desires to be thought sinful than weak; judge him as you will, so you judge him not to be an unwise, an unprudent man. A proud man, till he be subdued and humbled, had rather be thought dishonest than simple, because if he be dishonest, he thinks it is out of choice ; but to be simple, this argueth imperfection, and not freedom and bravery of spirit. Therefore, it being the natural desire and instinct of all men to be thought wise and to be so, he endeavours to work upon that affection in them, ' Who is wise ? ' &c. Well, saith he, I know you all desii'e to be thought ' wise and prudent men.' Would you make it good that you are so indeed ? Believe my sayings ! This is the way ; whosoever is wise, let him understand these things ; and he that is prudent let him hearken to these things that I have spoken.
Man at first, when he had communion with wisdom itself, was a wise creature till he hearkened to Satan, and so lost all, ' becoming as the beasts which perish,' Ps. xhx. 12. Yet in that glorious building, since the corrup- tion of nature, this amongst that rubbish is reserved, that above all things there is a desire to be happy and wise, which two desires are naturally the leading desires in men, to desire to do well, and to be wise. Therefore, the prophet here, upon that which is left in man's nature, takes advantage to build true wisdom and knowledge indeed.
To come, then, in brief, to shew what this wisdom and prudence is ; for there is some distinction between wisdom and prudence. Wisdom is a heavenly light set up in the soul by the Spirit of God, whereby it discemeth the general truths concerning God, ourselves, the state of the church, the privileges of Christianity, and such like. In sum, it is a right, divine appre- hension of spiritual truths.
And prudence: this is a kind of sharpness of spirit, whereby the Spirit of God directs the soul, knowing the right general principles, to particular cases. Prudence is an application of the general knowledge of general things to particulars, and is an ordering of the Ufe in particular exigencies and cases in a right order, according to the direction of the Spirit, as we have it, Prov. viii. 12, ' I wisdom dwell with prudence.' Divine wisdom, where- soever it is, dwells with prudence ; that is, where God doth enlighten the understanding to conceive aright of the mysteries of salvation, there it
414 THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON XIV.
dwells with prudence ; that is, it directs the soul to an orderly carriage of life towards God and man, and in regard of itself, every way as it should do, in all estates, times, and conditions. That is meant here by prudence, a particular gift whereby a man is fit to consult and deliberate of things in particular to be done, in particular cases of conscience, and the like. Now, wisdom and prudence, they are both together in God's people, howsoever perhaps one is more excellent than another. Some are wiser, who have a deeper search of truths in general ; and some are more prudent in their ways, that are weaker Christians for the main general truths. Yet there is not a good Christian but he hath so much prudence as will bring him to heaven. But God giveth extraordinary wisdom to some, because they are leaders of others. Yet though m God's dispensation there be a difierence, yet in every Christian they are joined together. There is no Christian but he is wise for himself, which is prudence. This is, as it were, the salt which seasoneth all other graces and knowledge whatsoever ; for what is knowledge without discretion but a foolish humour ? what is patience but blockishness if a man do not discern how, why, and upon what ground to be patient ? what is religiousness without this but superstition ? and what is zeal but an indiscreet heat, if it be not seasoned with this prudence ? yea, and what is constancy itself but an indiscreet rigour and stiffness without wit ? So that it is the seasoning of all other graces whatsoever, that which puts bounds and measure unto all. Therefore, he joins it with wisdom, ' Who is wise ? and who is prudent?' Good, as we say, consists of a whole, entire cause, imto which must be occurrence* of all circumstances together. One defect may make it to be sinful. So this is prudence, to observe a due order, clothed with circumstances of the manner and season of every good action and duty. Therefore, he joins here prudence, ' Who is wise, and he shall understand these things ? prudent, and he shall know them ?'