which have been withheld from others, we must ascribe that also to God, who in this respect, also, has made us to differ. The Scriptures trace to this same source the wisdom manifested by the husbandman in ploughing his ground and threshing out the corn : " Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open the clods of his ground? His God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. . . . The fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. This also cometh forth from the Lord of Hosts, who is wonder- ful in counsel, and excellent in working a." We wonder not, therefore, that the skill so suddenly given to Bezaleel, and to all who worked under him, is ascribed to God ; for that was indeed truly miraculous. But the declaration which traces it to God, extends to every kind and every measure of wisdom ; and consequently constrains us to give God the glory of every faculty we possess, and of all the improvement that we have made of it. We are not left in any respect to " sacrifice to our own drag, or to burn incense to our own net :" the whole honour must be given to God, and to God alone.]
But to the same source must we yet more emi- nently trace the attainment of spiritual wisdom —
[Of this, no measure whatever is born with man, or is natural to man. " He is born like a wild ass's colt." As for " the things of the Spirit of God, they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Nor is wisdom the product of mere human in- struction : for " the world by wisdom knew not God." The Apostles, when instructed in divine knowledge, traced the acquisition to the only true source : " We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God." Even the Messiah himself was instructed for the discharge of his office by the very same Spirit who wrought in Bezaleel for the forming of the tabernacle. Of Bezaleel it is said, " I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in under- standing, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workman- shipb:" and of Jesus it is said, "The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and of might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord ; and shall make him of quick under- standing in the fear of the Lordc." And the same Spirit will be given to us also, to enlighten our minds with saving know- ledge : for St. Paul says, " I pray always for you, that God may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your understanding being
a Isai. xxviii. 24 — 29. b ver. 3. c Isai. xi. 2, 3.