As for me, saith the Psalmist (he, herein, sorts, and severs himself from them, whose portion was in this life) I [shall] behold—I [shall] be satisfied, 1when I awake; he could not say it was well with him; but it shall be q. d. Let the purblind, short-sighted Sensualist, embrace this present world; who can see no further; Let me have my portion in the world to come; may my soul always lie open to the impression of the powers of the coming world; and, in this; so use every thing, as to be under the power of nothing. What are the pleasures of sin ⟨p. 237⟩that are but for a season; or what the sufferings of this now; this moment of affliction, to the glory that shall be revealed; to the exceeding, and eternal glory. He considers patient, afflicted godliness will triumph at last; when riotous, raging wickedness shall lament for ever. He may for a time weep, and mourn, while the world rejoices; he may be sorrowful,2 but his sorrow shall be turned into joy; and his joy none shall take from him. Surely, here is wisdom; this is the wisdom that is from above, and tends thither. This is to be wise unto salvation. The righteous man is a judicious man; he hath, in a measure, that judgment (wherein the Apostle prays the Philippians might abound) to approve the things that are excellent,3 and accordingly to make his choice. This is a sense (little thought of by the Author) wherein that sober Speech of the voluptuous Philosopher is most certainly true.4 A man cannot live happily, without living wisely. No man shall ever enjoy the eternal pleasures hereafter, that in this acquits not himself wisely here; even in this choosing the better part, that shall never be taken from him. In this the plain righteous man, out-vies the greatest Sophies, the Scribe, the disputer, the Politician, the prudent Mammonist, the facet Wit; who in their several kinds, all think themselves highly to have merited to be accounted wise. And that this point of wisdom should escape their notice; and be the principal thing with him, can be resolved into nothing else but the Divine good pleasure. In this contemplation, our ⟨p. 238⟩Lord Jesus Christ is said to have rejoiced in Spirit (it even put his great comprehensive soul into an ecstasy) Father, I thank thee, Lord of heaven and earth, 5that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes: Even so Father, because it pleased thee.
As for me, saith the Psalmist (he, herein, sorts, and severs himself from them, whose portion was in this life) I [shall] behold—I [shall] be satisfied, 1when I awake; he could not say it was well with him; but it shall be q. d. Let the purblind, short-sighted Sensualist, imbrace this present world; who can see no further; Let me have my portion in the world to come; may my soul always lie open to the impression of the powers of the coming world; and, in this; so use every thing, as to be under the power of nothing. What are the pleasures of sin ⟨p. 237⟩that are but for a season; or what the sufferings of this now; this moment of affliction, to the glory that shall be revealed; to the exceeding, and eternal glory. He considers patient, afflicted godliness will triumph at last; when riotous, raging wickedness shall lament for ever. He may for a time weep, and mourn, while the world rejoyces; he may be sorrowful,2 but his sorrow shall be turned into joy; and his joy none shall take from him. Surely, here is wisdom; this is the wisdom that is from above, and tends thither. This is to be wise unto salvation. The righteous man is a judicious man; he hath, in a measure, that judgment (wherein the Apostle prayes the Philippians might abound) to approve the things that are excellent,3 and accordingly to make his choice. This is a sense (little thought of by the Authour) wherein that sober Speech of the voluptuous Philosopher is most certainly true.4 A man cannot live happily, without living wisely. No man shall ever enjoy the eternal pleasures hereafter, that in this acquits not himself wisely here; even in this chusing the better part, that shall never be taken from him. In this the plain righteous man, out-vies the greatest Sophies, the Scribe, the disputer, the Politician, the prudent Mamonist, the facete Wit; who in their several kinds, all think themselves highly to have merited to be accounted wise. And that this point of wisdom should escape their notice; and be the principal thing with him, can be resolved into nothing else but the Divine good pleasure. In this contemplation, our ⟨p. 238⟩Lord Jesus Christ is said to have rejoyced in Spirit (it even put his great comprehensive soul into an extasie) Father, I thank thee, Lord of heaven and earth,
- 1Est benè non potuit dicere dixit erit.
- 2Joh. 16. 20, 2•.
- 3Phil. 1. 9, 1•••
- 4Epicurus.
- 5Luke 10. 21.
