Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

CHAP. XII. Who are the truly wise men; with the encouragement to the Saints in the happy choice they have made.

Here you see who are the wise men in the earth; wisdom does most discover its self in choice, for choice requires understanding to compare and weigh things: The will of every man is for some good he would have; every man wills to be happy; this is as natural for every reasonable Creature, as for the fire to burn: But herein appears wisdom, to make a right choice of those means that may bring us to that happiness that we do will; here is the infinite mistake of the world, they would be happy, but they choose means that are quite contrary to happiness; but those that choose right, and pitch upon the means that will indeed bring to that happiness that an immortal soul is capable of, surely those are wise; this is the wisdom that is from above, that can dispose of such means, as to obtain this end, and the greater the means are, and the more excellent the end is, the greater is the wisdom that orders thereunto, & guides therein: every one can propound an ordinary end to himself, and means to attain it; but if the business be of high consequence, as for a General to manage an Army, his end is a high end, that concerns the prosperity of a whole Country, and because his end is so high, that wisdom that can order means to attain this end, is admired in the world, it is not an ordinary skill that is able to do this.

HEre you see who are the wise men in the earth; wisdom does most discover its self in choice, for choice requires understanding to compare and weigh things: The will of every man is for some good he would have; every man wills to be happy; this is as natural for every reasonable Creature, as for the fire to burn: But herein appears wisdom, to make a right choice of those means that may bring us to that happiness that we do will; here is the infinite mistake of the world, they would be happy, but they choose means that are quite contrary to happiness; but those that choose right, and pitch upon the means that will indeed bring to that happiness that an immortal soul is capable of, surely those are wise; this is the wisdom that is from above, that can dispose of such means, as to obtain this end, and the greater the means are, and the more excellent the end is, the greater is the wisdom that orders thereunto, & guides therein: every one can propound an ordinary end to himself, and means to attain it; but if the business be of high consequence, as for a General to manage an Army, his end is a high end, that concerns the prosperity of a whole Countrey, and because his end is so high, that wisdom that can order means to attain this end, is admired in the world, it is not an ordinary skil that is able to do this.