Now that we may guide om- lives by the Spirit working in us spiritual and gracious wisdom,
First of all, consider ivhat I said before of jieshJii irisdom. There are none but they have one of these two guides, either the flesh, and by consequent the devil ; for the devil dwells in our carnal reason : that is his fort, that is his tower, his castle. Carnal, fleshly imaginations is the devil's forge : there he works all his tools, all his instruments. For the de\il works not so much immediateh', as by carnal men that are led with him.
Our wit and policy, and carnal wisdom, it is the shop, the forge of the devil, wherein he works all his mischief to overthrow us. It is the devil's workhouse, where he engines with all his tools and instruments.
Then considering that there are but two guides, the flesh, the world, and Satan, which alway go together in one, or God's Spirit and grace, 1. Let us be willing to submit our thottrfhts and dedres, to submit our projects and vur aims, and all to tJie Spirit of f/race ; submit to the word of grace, and to the motions of the word ; the word of God having the Spirit of God ac- companying of it. The word of grace accompanied by the Spirit of grace, is forcible, as the apostle saith, 1 Cor. x. 4. It beats down strongholds,
294 COMMENTARY ON
* strong imaginations.' Satan fortifies himself in strongholds, as the Scrip- ture calls them, in high thoughts, working discoursivo thoughts. Now when wo come to hear the word, wliich teacheth the simple, sincere truth of (lod, that teacheth us how we should he saved, and how we should guide our lives ; if wo will be guided by grace, if we will yield to God's simple truth, let him erect a throne in us, let us lay down all. When wo come to hear the word, let us think, I come to hear the wisdom of heaven itself, I come to hear that word that shall make me wise to salvation ; I will not entertain projects, I will not entertain a wisdom that is contrary to it; when they rise in my soul contrary to the direction of the Spirit, and of the word, down they shall, I will not own them. This is the wisdom of a man that intends to make grace his rule.
Now a carnal hearer, a carnal reader, a common Christian, he brings his naughty, proud heart, he brings his high conceits to the hearing and read- ing of the word, he comes as a censurer, as a judge, he comes to talk of what was said in this passage and in that passage, he comes not as to hear God speak in his ordinance, he comes not as a humble man ; he comes not to hear it as the ordinance of God with reverence ; and that makes him come and go out again as a beast. As the beasts that went out of Noah's ark, they went out as they came in; so many come into the church and go out again as beasts. They go out worse than they came in, because they bring not hearts to submit themselves to God and to his word. 0 ! a spirit of subjection, it is a blessed thing.
Self-denial is so)iie helj) to this. Be content in the guiding of your com- mon life, and in the guiding your way to salvation, to be no wiser than God's Spirit, and God's word will make you, to have no will nor no wisdom contrary to his will and wisdom. But you will live as men that have nothing of their own, nothing different from God, no distinct will, no contrary will and wit to God, but you will let God take the guidance of you himself ; and whom he guides must needs come to a happy end, as the psalmist saith excellent well, ' Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel, and after brmg me to glory,' Ps. Ixxiii. 24. Those that submit themselves to be guided by God's counsel, he will bring them to glory.
2. Serviceable to this is that which is pressed ever^-where in the Scrip- ture, humility. God gives gi-ace to the humble, that is, he gives them not only forgiveness of sins, and acceptation to life, but he gives them grace for the regiment of their lives ; ' He gives grace to the humble.' Those that humble their wits to God (for there is a humiliation of the wit as well as of the afiections), that they care not for the ' depths of Satan,' Rev. ii. 24, they care not for school tricks ; they care to know nothing but ' Christ and him crucified,' as St Paul saith, 1 Cor. ii. 2. God's word is of power and majesty enough to save me, I need not bring my wit for my acceptance to God. It is truth that is accepted, not a strong brain to cavil. ' God gives grace to the humble.' Those that bring their understandings to be led and taught by God, he gives grace to them,
3. Again, in the third place, if we would have our thoughts guided by counsel, let us liave a }ii(jli esteem of wisdoin, above all precious stones and pearls. Solomon presseth it, Prov. iv. 7, et alibi ; have a high estimation of wisdom, of the government of God's Spirit as the best government. And be out of love with carnal reason, with carnal afiections and their guidance; account them as base things, not worthy to come into the esteem of a Christian heart. Those that highly prize wisdom, God will lead them by it ; those that sell all for the pearl shall have it, Mat. xiii. 46. There must be a