A Body of Practical Divinity

Verse 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence. Should God convert by the Ministry of Angels, then we should have been ready to have gloried in Angels, and have given that honour to them which is due to God. But when God works by weak Tools, makes use of Men who are of like Passions with our selves, and by them Converts, now the Power is plainly seen to be of God: 2 Cor. 4.7. We have this Treasure in earthen Vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. Herein is God's wisdom seen, that no flesh may glory in his presence.

3. The Wisdom of God wonderfully appears in the Works of his Providence. Every Providence hath either a mercy or a wonder wrapped up in it. The wisdom of God in his Works of Providence, appears 1. By effecting great things by small contemptible Means. He cured the stung Israelite by a brazen Serpent. If some Sovereign Antidote had been used, if the Balm of Gilead had been brought, there had been some likelihood that this should have healed: But what was there in a brazen Serpent? it was a mere Image, and not applied to him that was wounded, only he was to look upon it; yet this wrought a Cure. The less probability in the Instrument, the more is God's wisdom seen. 2. The wisdom of God is seen in doing his work by that which to the Eye of Flesh seems quite contrary. God intended to advance Joseph, and make all his Brethren's sheaves bow to his sheaf. Now, what way doth he take? First Joseph is thrown into the Pit, then sold into Egypt, then after that put in Prison, Gen. 39.20. and by his Imprisonment God made way for his Advancement. For God to save in an ordinary way, wisdom would not be so much taken notice of; but when he goes strangely to work, and saves in that very way in which we think he will destroy, now his wisdom shines forth in a most glorious conspicuous manner. God would make Israel victorious, and what way doth he go in? He lessens Gideon's Army, Judg. 7.2. The people that are with thee are too many: he reduceth the Army of two and thirty thousand to three hundred, and by taking away the means of Victory, makes Israel victorious. God had a design to bring his People out of Egypt, and a strange course he takes to effect it: he stirred up the Hearts of the Egyptians to hate them,