Nor are there any means of attaining it so proper, as those prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. To repent of all our sins, to flee to Christ for the pardon of them, and to seek the reno- vation of our hearts by the Holy Spirit, are represented as the only effectual means of salvation. These things, it must be confessed, are often called folly ; but they are called so only by those, who have never known them by experience. Not one among the holy angels would account it folly to love and serve God. None of the redeemed in heaven regret that they were once so strenuous in the exercises of religion. The saints on earth are precisely of the same mind with those in heaven. Hence conversion to a holy life is called " a turning of the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just''." Even devils and damned spirits would confess that devotedness of heart to God is the truest wisdom. Careless sinners are the only beings who dissent from this truth ; and they in a little time will assuredly alter their opinion*^.]
Suchwisdomis justly termed "the principal thing" —
[There are many other things which are important in their place ; but this is far superior to them all. Riches cannot be put in competition with it''. Pleasure, honour, or even life itself, are not worthy to be compared with it*'. It excels every thing else as much as light excelleth darkness^. This exclusively deserves the name of wisdom, God himself being witness^. It is " the good part;''" and he alone can be called truly wise, who, like Paul, accounts every thing but loss for that unspeak- ably excellent attainment'.]
Its excellency bemg thus established, we may pro- ceed, II. To urge upon you the diligent pursuit of it —
In the text, with the preceding context, we may see the utmost fervour that language can express. May we be animated with the same, while we labour to impress the subject on your minds by the following considerations ! Consider then,
1. This wisdom is both more easily, and more cer- tainly, to be attained than any thing else —
[With respect to other things, every one has not a capa- city for making great attainments ; nor have all, who possess
b Luke i. 17.
c Wisdom V. 4. What do those rich men, Luke xii. 19, 20. and xvi. 19, 23. now think of their once envied state?
^ Job xxviii. 12—19. " Prov. iii. 13—18. f Eccl. ii. 13. s Job xxviii. 28. '' Luke x. 42. i Phil, iii. 7, 8.