A30242:1444
The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…
The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole third chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is annexed The godly and the natural mans choice, upon Psal. 4, vers. 6, 7, 8 / by Anthony Burgess ...The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole third chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is annexed The godly and the natural mans choice, upon Psal. 4, vers. 6, 7, 8 / by Anthony Burgesse ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for T.U., 1659
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, Worldly wisdom is mere foolishness, because such men contrive and plot, and think to accomplish all their counsels by their own strength and way. Now this is a very foolish and absurd thing: for the thoughts of a man are in some respect from man, but the ordering and disposing of all things is from God. Jer. 10.23. I know Lord, it is not in man to order his own way. Thus you see Ahithophel was a mere fool in the issue. And thus the Prophet Isaiah crieth out, The princes of Zoan are fools, Isa. 19.11. even they that boasted in their wisdom. We read of some Roman Emperors, and others, that did most foolishly affect a Deity, especially Caius Caesar, for which some thought him the Antichrist. Yea some of the Christian Emperors, did affect the attribute of God, as Constantius the Arian, that denied Eternity to the Son of God, yet would have men salute him with Aeternitas vestra. What blasphemous folly was this for a man, who was to be worms meat presently? Now in some respects, all the great wise men of the world do the like; they take upon them a kind of Deity; they think to work and contrive all things by their own fortitude and wisdom, as he in the Poet, Virtus mihi numen & ensis, Quem te•eo. And another, Ignavis est opus auxilio divino. But (alas) in all these things, men are mere fools: for their very thoughts and purposes are not in their own power, God fashioneth the hearts of men. Laban had other thoughts; Esau other thoughts than they intended. And as their thoughts are not in their own power, so much less are the accomplishments, or performances of them. But as the stone, when once flung away, is no more in the mans power; so neither is the performance of any thing under the command of humane wisdom. Thus they are foolish in all their counsels, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise are vain, as it followeth,
Secondly, Worldly wisdome is meer foolishnesse, because such men contrive and plot, and think to accomplish all their counsels by their own strength and way. Now this is a very foolish and absurd thing: for the thoughts of a man are in some respect from man, but the ordering and disposing of all things is from God. Jer. 10.23. I know Lord, it is not in man to order his own way. Thus you see Achitophel was a meer fool in the issue. And thus the Prophet Isaiah cryeth out, The princes of Zoan are fools,