The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

You have heard, that this worldly wisdom is foolishness actively, I shall now proceed to show its foolishness Passively; such which God befooleth or turneth to folly. So that there are no men whom God doth more resist and set himself against, then such proud, worldly wise men. He delights, wherein they deal proudly, to be above them; and wherein they resolve to deal wisely, to outwit them, as we say. So that as you see little Children, who have got a Bird tied to a string, they make themselves sport with her, and when she thinketh to fly here and there, they pull her back again. Thus God hath an over-ruling wisdom, and an over-ruling power over all men, their counsels, and their actions. Which made an Heathen call man [Greek or Hebrew], The Tennis-ball that the Providence of God playeth withal, and handeth hither and thither. Thus the Scripture excellently expresseth it, by putting an hook into mens nostrils, and a bridle in their lips, Isa. 37.29. The Providence of God is the Rider or Sessor upon all the wise mens counsels and actions, and they are over-ruled by God, as we do our Horses, to turn them this way and that way, backwards and forwards. And this is the chief scope of the Apostle in the words following, as will then more particularly appear.

You have heard, that this worldly wisdome is foolishnesse actively, I shall now proceed to shew its foolishness Passively; such which God befooleth or turneth to folly. So that there are no men whom God doth more resist and set himself against, then such proud, worldly wise men. He delights, wherein they deal proudly, to be above them; and wherein they resolve to deal wisely, to outwit them, as we say. So that as you see little Children, who have got a Bird tyed to a string, they make themselves sport with her, and when she thinketh to fly here and there, they pull her back again. Thus God hath an over-ruling wisdome, and an over-ruling power over all men, their counsels, and their actions. Which made an Heathen call man 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, The Tennis-ball that the Providence of God playeth withall, and handeth hither and thither. Thus the Scripture excellently expresseth it, by putting an hook into mens nostrils, and a bridle in their lips, Isa. 37.29. The Providence of God is the Rider or Sessor upon all the wise mens counsels and actions, and they are over-ruled by God, as we do our Horses, to turn them this way and that way, backwards and forwards. And this is the chief scope of the Apostle in the words following, as will then more particularly appear.