An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Thus some (I say) expound it, specially of that rational power with which man, as man, is naturally endowed, and not of wisdom attained in Schools and Academies by study, or in the wo•ld by experience, which is but the lightning of reason,¹ or of that natural wisdom planted by God in man as a reasonable creature. Taking this sense, Who hath put wisdom into the inward parts, is no more but this; Who hath made man a rational creature? who among men, can take this honour to himself, and say, I have put this wisdom, called reason, into my self or any man? surely none: 'Tis the sole prerogative of God to put wisdom, in the lowest and commonest notion of it, reason, into the mind of man. Who hath put wisdom into the inward parts?

1. 1Quis posuit, &c. insinuans se de illa sapientia lequi, quae nec co-operante ratione, nec industria humana, nec per ullam disciplinam •quisita est. Janson.

Hence observe; Mans natural reason is the gift of God.

All wisdom floweth from God, the eternal and inexhaustible fountain of wisdom; it is of God that all men have reason, as well as that any men have grace. Reason is a very great gift, take it barely, as unpolished and unheightned, by study, by Arts, Sciences and experiences: Wisdom, as planted in nature, is a high favour. As grace sets one man above another, so this natural ⟨p. 68⟩wisdom sets every man above the best of brutes. And as this wisdom in man (which is properly called wisdom) so that Analogical wisdom, or that appearance of wisdom, that is in many subtle buits, is of Gods putting & planting too. And if so, then much more those higher endowments, the polishings and the inrichings of mans reason, are of God. Reason is that ground o soil, which being tilled and dressed, manured and well wrought upon, brings forth those excellent fruit of wisdom which ennoble the mind of man. (