Some take upon them, as if they by their wisdom could hinder Gods purposes, and counter-work him, as if they could over-reach or undermine him. We are much afraid of wise men; If such a wise man, if such a head-piece, be against us, we think surely he will works us a great deal of mischief. When David found his son Absalom rebelling against him, and Ahithophel joining with him, he prayed that God would turn his counsel into foolishness (2 Sam. 15.31.) David feared that Achitophels going over to Absalom, might have carried the whole business against him: But God doth not regard a whole conclave of Achitophels, he cares not a straw for their plottings and contrivings. The Lord is so far from fearing the counsels of the wise in heart, that he can destroy them by their own wisdom, and not only undo their counsels, but undo them by their counsels: The pit which they have digged, they shall fall into it themselves, and be entangled in the lime-twigs which they have set up for others. All this the holy Prophet intended when he said of God (Isa. 44.25.) He frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh the diviners mad: He turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish. Diviners grow mad when they see things issuing quite contrary to their predictions and expectations. He that can destroy the wise with their own wisdom, needs not fear the wisdom of the wisest. 'Tis the noblest way of vanquishing an enemy, when we wound him with his own weapons, and turn his own Artillery upon him. ⟨p. 648⟩Thus God dealeth with the wise in heart; they are nothing in his hands, they cannot put the least stop to what he hath a purpose to do; but he can put a stop to all their purposes. The foolishness of God (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.25.) is wiser than men. He saith also in the third Chapter of the same Epistle (vers 19.) The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is w i••en (and that writing is taken out of this Book of Job, Ch•p: 5.13.) He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The L•rd knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain; and vain he knoweth them to be in a twofold respect: First, because sinful or evil in themselves; Secondly, because he knows how to make them barren or abortive, successless and ineffectual unto the wise:
Some take upon them, as if they by their wisedom could hinder Gods purposes, and counter-work him, as if they could over-reach or undermine him. We are much afraid of wise men; If such a wise man, if such a head-piece, be against us, we think surely he will works us a great deal of mischeife. When David found his son Absalom rebelling against him, and Achitophel joyning with him, he prayed that God would turn his counsell into foolishness (2 Sam. 15.31.) David feared that Achitophels going over to Absalom, might have carryed the whole business against him: But God doth not regard a whole conclave of Achitophels, he cares not a straw for their plottings and contrivings. The Lord is so far from fearing the counsels of the wise in heart, that he can destroy them by their own wisdome, and not only undoe their counsels, but undoe them by their counsels: The pit which they have digged, they shall fall into it themselves, and be entangled in the lime-twiggs which they have set up for others. All this the holy Prophet intended when he said of God (Isa. 44.25.) He frustrateth the tokens of the lyers, and maketh the diviners mad: He turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish. Diviners grow mad when they see things issuing quite contrary to their predictions and expectations. He that can destroy the wise with their own wisdom, needs not fear the wisdom of the wisest. 'Tis the noblest way of vanquishing an enemy, when we wound him with his own weapons, and turn his own Artillery upon him. ⟨p. 648⟩Thus God dealeth with the wise in heart; they are nothing in his hands, they cannot put the least stop to what he hath a purpose to do; but he can put a stop to all their purposes. The foolishness of God (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1.25.) is wiser than men. He saith also in the third Chapter of the same Epistle (vers 19.) The wisdome of this world is foolishness with God; for it is w i••en (and that writing is taken out of this Book of Job, Ch•p: 5.13.) He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The L•rd knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vaine; and vain he knoweth them to be in a twofold respect: First, because sinf•ll or evill in themselves; Secondly, because he knows how to make them barren or abortive, successless and ineffectual unto the wise:
