3. In the next place, observe the children of wisdom do justify it; that is they receive it, approve it, defend it, maintain it; for it is fittin" that children should stand for their mother, and take to heart any wron» that is done to her ; and therefore the child of wisdom privately believes it, and loves it ; and openly, if the truth or any ordinance of God or holiness of life be spoken against, he will defend and maintain it, yea, to the death ; for wisdom, though with the loss of all things, is rich enough. So Moses esteemed the rebukes of Christ more than the pleasures of a kincr's court Heb. xi. 25.
Quest. But must we maintain it, so as to speak for it always, and in all companies ?
Ans. I answer, No, but when we are called to it. Wisdom dwells with the prudent ; and where it is, it will teach when to speak, and what, and in what manner. And the reasons of this observation are, first, it is fitting that God's children should concur in judgment with God, who justifies his wisdom in his children, 'and admires his graces in them, '0 woman, great is thy faith,' Mat. xv. 38 ; as contrarily he doth admire the stubbornness of the heart of wicked men. Secondly, wisdom- in itself is justifiable; for it justifies itself; for it carries a justifying spirit with it. It hath a power able to change. In all estates it justifies itself ; in trouble and anguish it comforts. Yea, in death, when all other wisdom perisheth, this raiseth up. It is powerful above the power of nature. It pulls down the proud heart of man in prosperity.
Quest. But it may be said, if it be thus, what need is there that the children of wisdom should justify it ?
Ans. I answer, in respect of itself, it needs not our help to justify it; but in regard of others, to draw them on to the loving and embracing thereof, and in respect of ourselves, to manifest the truth of grace in us.
The church also justifies it by proposing it, and declaring the goodness thereof by defending it and commending it. Yet is it not above the Scrip- tures, no more than we are above the truth of God, when we are said to ' seal it.' Children we are of the truth, and desire to be ruled by it, not to judge it, and all children agree herein to justify it, as it is said here, * Wis- dom is justified of all her children.' Though there be of divers countries, of divers nations and natures, yet all agree in commending and embracing this wisdom ; and thereby are they known to be children of wisdom, for hereby may we know what estate we are in, even by our carnage of ourselves toimrds wisdom. How many, professing to be the children of wisdom, do notwithstanding condemn it. Diverse abroad, whom wisdom shall not judge, but they will judge wisdom, and are indeed the children of human tradition. And among ourselves, are there not many that reject the ordinance of God ? Is not, say they, reading of good books at home as good as going to church ? Do not such confess that the rivers of Damascus are as good as Jordan ; whenas, if ever we come from this spiritual Egypt into the land of promise, we must go over this Jordan. We must come to heaven by the foolishness of preaching.
Again, are there not many, because they see there is diversities of religions, they will he of none, till it be decided which is the truth, and this is the way to die in no religion. These are bastards. They cannot be children of wisdom, for they know it not ; as likewise they are such that justify
286 THE SUCCESS OF TUE GOSPEL.
ignorance, making it the mother of devotion (a). They profess they are the children of ignorance and error, and not of wisdom. Another sort there are that in word jmtify irisdom, saying it is the word of God, hut in their life and conversation do deny it. Let such know, he that lives against the faith shall he damned, as well as he that believes against it. Good meat is commended more by eating and cheering than by talking. If such did truly believe the wisdom of God, it would purify them ; and not to believe is madness ; but to live so as if they believed not is desperate madness. The sinner denies God's presence, the covetous man denies God's provi- dence, the despairing man denies God's mercy and Christ's merits, the sinner against conscience denies God's justice, else the terror of the Lord would m'ove him. Yet if we sec these things in us, and allow not of them, but condemn ourselves for them, God will be merciful and spare us.
This should encourage us, in the next place, to proceed on in a resolute course of Christ ianitij. What though the wicked world laugh at us, and scorn us, God the Judge justifies us, his children justify us. As for other men, the Scripture calls them fools, for God hath given them over to a reprobate judgment in things that concern a godly life, and therefore if we be censured by such, let us account it our crown.