to attain it, by Human Means. But as the Cor.i.21. World by Wisdom knew not God, so neither did they know by all their Philofophic Wifdom and Knowledge, the Happiness that he had prepar'd for Men, nor the Way to it. That was not to be learned by the Wisdom Jam. i. 17.of this World, but only by that Wisdom that is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights. Therefore as the World came to get more and more Light from above, Men came, in that Proportion, to know more of their own Happiness, and how it was to be acquir'd; according to the Meafure of the Revelation.

The Book of Job is reckoned by many of the Learned to be the most Antient Book of all the Canonical Scriptures: To whom God himself bears Witnefs that he was OrChap. xlii.thodox in his Opinions, and had spoken the Things that were Right. Let us therefore

Ver. 12,

20.

hear his Refolution of the Cafe. We find him upon the Search after true Wisdom, (that Wifdom which would furely lead Men to their Happiness,) throughout the whole 28th Chapter,Where fhall Wifdom be found? And where is the Place of Understanding?

And after he had travers'd the Creation for it, he concludes, that it is not to be found in the Land of the Living: Not in any thing that this World affords; not in all its Riches, nor in any of its Treasures, nor was it to be purchased by any of them,

I

ver. I S.

ver. 1s. It cannot be gotten for Gold, neither Shall Silver be weighed for the Price of it.

But that God is the Fountain of it, and therefore concludes, that the only True Wif dom that Man is capable of, and that by which God directs him, and would bring him to his Happiness, is the Wisdom of Religion, Ver. 28. -Unto Man he faid, Behold the Fear of the Lord, That is Wif dom, and to depart from Evil is UnderStanding.

And we find Solomon alfo upon the fame Enquiry, to whom God had given so large a Portion of the Spirit of Wisdom. From Him therefore we may best expect to learn, wherein true Wisdom and Happiness confifts. And after he had fought for Happiness, throughout the whole Book of Ecclefiaftes, (and that true Wisdom, that would fafely conduct us to it,) in all the good Things of this World, its Honours, and Riches, and Pleafures, (of all which he had had full Experience,) nay, and in all its Wisdom and Knowledge too, weighing every one of them feverally as in a Balance, and rejecting them all one after another as Empty and Infufficient, as Vanity, nay and lighter than Vanity, he at last comes to This Refolution, and fixes all there, Chap. xiith, and the 13th Ver.-Let us hear the Conclufion of the whole Matter, Fear God, and keep his Commandments; for This is the whole of Man; the Sum of all U 2

that

that he need Know and Do in order to his Happiness.

If then this Wisdom that Religion teaches, is the only Wisdom that can make us Happy, it is the Only Wisdom that can make us truly Wife for Ourselves. And what the Advantages, what the Properties and Preheminencies of it are above all the Wisdom of this World, comes now in the IV.

IVth Place to be spoken to.

1f, To begin at the Loweft, I mean, the Happiness of this World, even That is better provided for by Religious Wisdom, than by all the Ways of Worldly Wifdom. For though the Good Things of this Life are not, properly speaking, the Reward of Good Men, (for their Reward is in Heaven,) yet are they commonly, by way of Encouragement, added, (in competent Measure,) over and above, to them that feek the Kingdom of Heaven in the firft Place; and that not only in the Way of Secret Bleffing, but in the Natural Refult of Things: For fo has God been pleas'd, in the Wisdom of his Providence, to order the Courfe of this World, that Virtue and Piety fhall naturally, and much more certainly, lead to Profperity and the Happiness of this Life, than all the Arts of Human Cunning; and Impiety and Vice, to Poverty, and Trouble, and Mifery.

The Practice of Vice plunges Men into Troubles and Inconveniencies without End or Number; fuch as in the midst of Laugh- Prov. xiv, ter will make the Heart Sorrowful. The 13. Wisdom of this World, St. James tells us, is Chap. iii. Earthly, Senfual, Devilish; that engages in Contention, and Envying, and Strife; and ends in nothing but Confufion and every Evil Work. But the Wisdom that is from above, is firft Pure, then Peaceable, Gentle and Eafy to be intreated, full of Mercy, and good Fruits, even all the Peaceable Fruits of Righteoufnefs. The Rules that Heavenly Wifdom prefcribes, the Rules of Temperance and Chastity, are Rules of Health as well as Rules of Religion: And that Justice and Honesty, that Love, and Candour, and Charity, which Religious Wifdom teaches, do naturally tend to Peace and Profperity, and all the true Comforts and Happinefs of Life, far beyond all Worldly Riches.

The great Mafter of Wisdom was certainly a competent Judge of the Worth and Benefits of the true Wisdom, let us therefore hear His Opinion in this Matter.Happy Prov. iii. is the Man (fays he) that findeth Wisdom, 13. and the Man that getteth Understanding: For the Merchandize of it is better than the Merchandize of Silver, and the Gain thereof than fine Gold.-Length of Days are in her Right Hand, and in her Left Hand Riches and Honour: Her Ways are

U 3

Way

Ways of Pleasantness, and all her Paths are Peace.

But if for Secret Reasons of Providence, always Good and Juft, though fometimes Hid from our Eyes, Religion does not yield a Man thofe Good Fruits Here; If it does not give Riches and Health, and Peace in this Life, yet it will teach him what is worth them all, the Art of Contentment and Refignation to the Wisdom of Providence, in a Comfortable Hope of the Future Recom pence of Reward.

And 2dly, This is another Property of Religious Wifdom, that it provides for the Future. It is a Shallow Wisdom indeed that looks only to the Prefent for Happiness. Worldly Men finding all their Gratifications from the World, would be content to fix Here, and expect their Happiness from it. They look for their Portion in this Life, and when they have got what they aim'd at, Habent Mercedem, (fays our Saviour) they have their Reward, They have it All here, and have nothing Good hereafter to look for, But were they as happy as all this World can make them in this State of Mortality, yet could not Wife Men, with any Manner of Satisfaction acquiefce in it, because it is only for this Prefent Life; fince they might ftill, after this Life Ended, be very Miserable, and the more Miferable, for having once been Happy.

But