Colossians Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisdome this water of life being to be had in no other Well but that of God Word 2. In as much as it is a singular gift of the Sanctifying Spirit the Epithite by which Saint Paul characterizeth this wisdome is Spirituall and that for this reason saith the Learned Davenint Quia per spiritum Christi generatur non ingenio nostro comparatur because it is not acquired by our Wit but infused by Gods Spirit There is a spirit in man saith Elihu and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Mans spirit is able to understand much but to the understanding of Divine things there must be an inspiration of the Almighty The truth is whereas humane is attained Deo aspirante God assisting this Divine wisdome is onely to be obtained Deo inspirante God inspiring with an especiall grace I shut up this with that Counsell or our Apostle If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God it cometh down from above let us lift up our eyes and hands and hearts above for it This wisdome as Clemens Alexandrinus elegantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not sold on earth but in Heaven and if you will know the price it is prayer Solomon in his Proverbs saith in one verse The Lord giveth wisdome and in the next The Lord layeth up sound wisdome the Treasury wherein he layeth it up is his Word the Treasurer is his Spirit and the key that unlocketh this Treasury is prayer aske and he will give let our requests ascend to him and his wisdome will descend on us and as the Rivers that come from the Sea return thither so this wisdome coming from God leads us back to him by working in us those graces of purity peace mercy which resemble him And so I am faln upon the Utility of wisdomes effects It is first pure then peaceable c. The number of these effects is by some reduced to seven and so they oppose them to the seven deadly sins compare them to the seven gifts of the Spirit resemble them to the seven Pillars which wisdome heweth to build the house where she vouchsafeth to dwell By others the number is inlarged to eight and so they observe a fit correspondency in them to the eight beatitudes four of which to wit puâ—ity peace meeknesse mercy are here expresly mentioned and the rest may be easily parallel'd as if all the qualifications fitting for blessednesse were so many maids of honour attending on this Queen of Wisdome If you desire a Logicall disposing of these effects you may consider wisdome in reference to God and men in regard of God she is pure in regard of all men she is peaceable distressed men mercifull in her carriage towards enemies gentle love of friends without hypocrisie towards good men full of good fruits and in her censures of evill men without partiality But I shall in handling them follow the order in the text And as Printers first set the severall letters and then clap on the sheets or as Gardiners first gather the flowers apart and then binde them together so shall I distinctly unfold and then joyntly apply them with all possible brevity and perspicuity 1. That which first occurreth to be handled is wisdomes purity for so is the order of the words the wisdome from above is first pure Indeed when we observe what precedeth we may well infer that which followeth wisdome being from above must needs be pure such as is the cause such is the effect It is impossible the least darknesse should proceed from the Father of lights and as no unclean thing can ascend thither so neither can it descend thence It is observable in nature that all things as they are higher so they are purer the water then the earth the aire then the water the fire then the aire the stars then the fire how pure then must wisdome needs be which is from above the Stars even from the highest Heavens The Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first here prefixed would not be passed by as intending not onely a priority of order but honour indeed purity is the chiefest lesson in wisdomes school the richest jewell in her Cabinet and the sweetest flower in her Garden if you observe you will finde it both the α and the ω the first and the last of wisdomes lineaments purity is opposed either to mixture so we say pure wine which is not sophisticated or to filthinesse so we say pure water which is not mudded in the former sence it is that which ends in the latter it is that which begins the description because free from mixture she is without hypocrisie because free from filthinesse she is said to be pure And truly all the intermediall properties are such as would be no praise of wisdome if purity did not accompany them without purity peaceablenesse is pusillanimity gentlenesse stupidity tractablenesse simplicity mercifulnesse foolish pity yea our best fruits but Sodom Apples In a word purity is wisdomes best friend and choycest companion The Greek word which we render pure properly signifieth chaste and accordingly some refer it to that particular grace indeed on the one hand as uncleannesse is folly and therefore often called by that name and the young man whom the harlot tempts to her wanton embraces is said to be void of understanding Yea Saint Chrysostome compareth him to the mad daemoniack in the Gospell who dwelt among the Tombes so on the other hand chastity is a blessed effect of wisdome and therefore it is the wise mans advice My Son say unto wisdom Thou art my sister and call understanding thy kinswoman that they may keep thee from the strange woman from the stranger which flattereth with her words But we must not confine our Apostles meaning though if you please with Brockman we may make use of the emphasis of the word and conceive wisdome as a chast virgin espoused to Christ the King of glory to whom having plighted her faith she proveth faithfull renouncing the pleasures of the world contemning the dalliances of Satan defying the lusts of the flesh that she may approve her fidelity to her Husband Christ. That wisdomes purity may the more fully be characterized observe briefly these particulars 1. There is a purity of doctrine and a purity of practice the one from error the other from sin Wisdome is both orthodox and orthoprax maintaining the one attaining the other that which Christ hath intrusted with her his truth she keepeth pure from Heresie that which she hath dedicated to Christ her Soule she keepeth pure from iniquity Some are Zealous against errors and yet slaves to their lusts other are sober in regard of sensuall delights and yet intoxicated with erroneous opinions neither of these are wisdomes children who accounts them equally bad a vain minde and vile affections and therefore according to Saint Pauls counsell she holds
VVISDOMES CHARACTER AND COUNTERFEIT Deliniated in two SERMONS The one on the Epistle of St. James chap. 3. 17. The other on the Gospel of St. Matth chap. 2. 8. By NATH HARDY Minister of Gods Word and Preacher to the Parish of St. Dionis Back-Church JOB 28. 28. Behold the feare of the Lord that is wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding PSAL. 111. 10. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome a good understanding have all they that doe his commandements his praise endureth for ever LONDON Printed by I. G. for John Clark and are to be sold at his Shop under St. Peters Church in Cornhil 1656. VVISDOMES CHARACTER OR THE QUEEN OF GRACES Set forth in a SERMON Preached at the Assizes holden at Aylesbury for the County of Buckingham on Friday March 21. Anno Dom. 1655. By NATH HARDY Minister of Gods Word and Preacher to the Parish of St. Dionis Back-Church PROV 4. 7. Wisdome is the principall thing therefore get Wisdome and with all thy getting get understanding Bern. Serm. 1. de Nativit Christi Sola quae ex Deo est sapientia Salutaris qua secundum B. Iacobi definitionem primum pudica deinde pacifica est nam sapentia carnis voluptuosa est non pudica sapientia mundi tumultuosa est non pacifica LONDON Printed by I. G. for John Clarke and are to be sold at his Shop under St. Peters Church in Cornhil 1656. TO THE VVORSHIPFULL GEORGE TASH Esq. High Sheriffe of the County of Buckingham The blessings of Wisdomes right and left hand SIR AT your command this small Barke was first launched into the River and is now put forth to Sea I know the season is perillous and perhaps she may meet with a contrary winde but her Anchor of truth will preserve her from sinking in the sharpest storme She is no man of Warre nor intends offence to any onely a Merchant Man designed to advance the spirituall traffique Her outside is plaine but her lading is rich The Commodities which she bringeth are the incomparable Jewell of Wisdome the Amber of Purity the Gold of Peace the Silkes of Gentlenesse and Tractablenesse the Oyl of Mercy all sorts of pretious Fruits the Diamonds of Impartiality Sincerity and these fetched not from the uttermost Indies or any places of the earth but the uppermost Heaven of Heavens To your Coast Honoured Sir she first putteth in not doubting the Harbour of a favourable protection since though I was the unskilfull Carpenter you are the Owner and besides you have a considerable share in her goods your prudent peaceable gentle mercifull just and upright conversation being evident to all who know you Onely give me leave Worthy Friend to advise that you would continue and encrease this Heavenly Trade True you have experienced through Divine Providence blessing your ingenious industry the advantage of traffiquing in those remoter parts of the World since your returne to your Native Countrey the same Providence hath found out for and conferred on you an invaluable Jewell a Consort decked with all Wisdoms Ornaments and by her hath blessed you with those pearles Children which no riches can purchase But in the midst of all these enjoyments forget not what Solomon saith of Wisdome The merchandise of it is better then the merchandise of Silver and the gain thereof then fine Gold she is more pretious then Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her I have nothing more but to declare to the World how much I am engaged to your selfe and vertuous second self for Multiplied Courtesies To Supplicate the Great God for the accumulation of his mercies both celestiall and terrestriall on you and yours and subscribe my self Your most affectionate Servant NATH HARDY JAM 3. 17. But the wisdome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without Hypocrisie OF all graces none of more singular worth and universal extent then that of wisdome If you take the altitude of its dignity you shall finde that what the Sun is among the Planets and gold amongst the Mettalls the minde among the Faculties the sight among the Senses that is Prudence amongst Vertues Hence it is not unfitly called Cardinalium cardo the hinge upon which the other cardinall vertues turne giving rules to justice setting bounds to temperance putting the reynes upon fortitude yea it is the salt which giveth a seasoning to all our graces If you measure the amplitude of its utility you shall finde that it observeth all seasons ordereth all actions and regulateth us in all conditions Some graces are excellent in their nature but confined in their use Repentance to sinne Patience to affliction Gratitude to mercy Obedience to duty But this grace is that which subdueth corruption sustaineth affliction improveth mercy manageth duty In one word what the wise mans proverb saith of money may more fully be applyed to wisdome It answereth all things This Encomium might very well serve as a Proaemium both to justifie my choyce of and gaine your attention to my discourse upon this Scripture But besides both the goodnesse and fulnesse of this grace there is yet another consideration which may render it very acceptable at this time namely the fitnesse of it both to the occasion and persons The occasion of this present meeting you all know is to hold a grand Assizes for the righting of the injured punishing of offenders deciding of differences and redressing disorders in the County nor is there any grace more needfull to the accomplishing of these weighty workes then that of wisdome The persons to whom I am now to speak are of seveverall degrees offices vocations and no grace more useful for them all in their severall spheres then this of wisdome This was King Solomons choyce for himselfe and such a choyce as God highly approved of Give thy servant an understanding heart This was his Father Davids advice to all Kings and Judges of the earth Be wise and be instructed Finally this was Moses his wish for the people of Israel Oh that they were wise And surely then it cannot be unseasonable or unsuitable for me at this time to set before you this excellent description of Wisdome which our Apostle hath made to my hand in the words of my Text But the wisdome which is from above is first pure then peaceable c. The wise man speaking of Wisdome calleth her a tree of life and there is one word fruits in the Text which giveth a fit occasion of using that metaphor conceive then Wisdome here compared by our Apostle to a Tree whose root is not as other trees in Earth but Heaven in which respect to use the Philosophers expression concerning man she is arbor inversa a tree turned upwards her fruits are both wholsome and toothsome and those of severall sorts St. John saith of the
in terrâ peace on earth and whilest the Sword is in her hand the Motto upon her Sword is sic quaero pacem by this meanes I seek for peace She is industrious for private peace with and among her neighbours yea as much as in her lyeth with all men and to that end she will not injuriam inferre offer any the least wrong to others Though she be like the Serpent for ingenious prudence yet she is also according to our Saviours counsell like the Dove for harmlesse innocency nay she will injuriam ferre suffer much wrong from others and put up many affronts and when she is compelled to recover a just title or repaire an intollerable losse by Law it is with a minde willing to be reconciled yea she is so great a lover that she is a peace maker among the litigious when she seeth variance steppeth in to make up the breach though oft-times to use Gregory Nazianzens phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she incur the displeasure of both parties Finally she is desirous of domestick peace as she would have her house to be a Temple for piety an Academy for knowledge so an Army for order and a Quire for harmony to this end she winketh at what may provoke her avoideth what may offend others and teacheth every relation to keep its own station By all these just and good meanes she seeketh peace and if at any time her endeavours want successe among men she then resolveth Pacem spirare suspirare coram domino to knock at Heaven gates earnestly beseeching God to heal breaches compose differences settle distractions saying with the Church Give peace in our time oh Lord 2. Wisdome is first pure then peaceable You may take the connexion two wayes 1. Wisdome is peaceable because she is pure the Apostle puts the question and answereth it in the first verse of the next chapter From whence come warres and fighting's among you come they not hence even from your lusts and that of the Orator fitly correspondeth with it Ex cupiditatibus odia dissidia discerdiae seditiones bella nascuntur the bitter fruits of hatred variance discord sedition warre spring out of the root of evill desires indeed Relegion and Reformation are oft-times the pretended but ambition covetousnesse and revenge are for the most part the reall causes of Warre and commotion True there is a purity which is the Mother of Pride and so of contention I mean pharisaicall selfe conceited purity but that is the fools pâ—rity he that is pure in his own eyes is wise too but it is onely in his owne eyes and so in the wise mans verdict worse then a fool I shall ever suspect that purity which inclineth to Separation in the Church and Sedition in the State Wisdomes purity inclineth to humility â—mity unity and concord yea therefore she desireth peace that she may preserve purity as well knowing that Warre was never yet a friend to Vertue nor Contention to Religion the truth is as Lusts cause Warres so Warres cherish Lusts. What purity can be expected from them whose hands are defiled with blood Inter arma silent leges neither Gods Law nor Mans can easily be heard when the noyse of Trumpets and drums prevaileth no wonder if wisdome being pure is likewise peaceable 2. Wisdome is peaceable so farre as consists with purity she is a friend to peace but only usque ad Aras according to Saint Pauls caution If it be possible that is consistent with Gods glory and so consequently with the purity of Religion and Conversation indeed it is a foolish bargain to venture purity that we may bring home peace to break our peace with God that we may keep or make peace with Men no wonder if wisdome abhor it She well knoweth that that peace which is founded on impure principles and practises is built on a sandy foundation and cannot long stand is onely the skinning of the sore not the healing it which by reason of its corruption must needs fester and rankle Hence iâ— is that though she admit of many inconveniences yet she dares not of any sinne no not to make peace her maximes are those of Gregory Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A commendable War is better then an agreement which seperateth from God and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Religious quarrell is better then a Vitious peace In one word she earnestly desireth and endeavoureth both purity and peace purity as wine to make glad the heart and peace as oyle to make the face to shine the gold of peace to beautifie the Altar of purity the Altar of purity to sanctifie the gold of peace But if it so fall out that these two must be severed she prefers the Altar before the gold she chooseth rather to live in the water of trouble then in the mud of sinne in one word she leaveth peace to embrace purity because she is first pure and then peaceable and thus I have discussed the two principall effects of wisdome I see the time and I know the occasion call for a dispatch and therefore I shall onely give you an account of what might be said of the rest and so shut up in a briefe but suitable application 3. The next effect of wisdome is gentlenesse a vertue which is temper in the minde tendernesse in the heart calmenesse in the affections smoothnesse in the language and sweetnesse in the behaviour It is opposed to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which examineth all things by the rule of extream right and is far distant from that austerity which will bear with nothing It teacheth the Judge an aequitable moderation of the letter of severe Lawes the creditour a forbearance of due debts where there is not ability to pay as that King did by his servant in the Gospel the Plaintiffe not to prosecute his suit to the utmost and exact the rigor of what Law may afford Finally it inciteth to a candid interpretation of dubious words and actions it perswadeth to a meek toleration of humane frailties and infirmities and restraineth from an over-hasty provocation by injuries This grace of gentlenesse is the Sister of Modesty Mother of Patience and Daughter of Wisdome Moses as he excelled in wisdome so he was the meekest man upon the earth what the Poet saith of the ingenious Arts Ingenuas didicisse fideliter artes Emollit mores nec sinit esse â—eros may more truly be affirmed of this divine wisdome she turneth Lions into Lambes Leopards into Kids and Hawks into Doves there is no Vineger but Oyl mingled with her Sallets no Crabs but Sweetings grow in her Garden no blustring windes but a gentle aire breathes in her climate There is much spoken of a fools anger in the Proverbs yea it is called by the name of folly every man is so far a fool as his anger domineers a fool is never more foolish then in his anger but Wisdome giveth a check to
good mens aimes are oft-times furthered by the wicked and whilst intentionally they drive on their owne designes accidentally they are assistant to the Saints enterprizes Those Carpenters in Noahs time aimed only at their owne gaine yet they built that Arke which saved his life Lahans intentions in allotting Jacob the speckled sheeâ— were not cordially good and yet by that meanes Jacobs labours are prospered and his store increased Little thought Pharaohs daughter of rescuing the children of Israel from her Fathers yoak and behold she chertsheth that childe who proved their deliverer Pharaoh himselfe let the Israelites goe out of no good meaning witnesse the speedy pursuit and yet thereby a passage is opened for fulfilling both Gods promises of and their desires after the Land of Canaan Oh let us behold with joy and view with wonder the over-ruling wisdome of the Almighty which maketh his and his servants adversaries instrumentall both of his glory and their good When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh his enemies not onely to be at peace with but subservient to him and as Christ caused the Fish though unwittingly to bring him money in its mouth for paying tribute so God maketh the wicked though unwillingly contribute assistance to his people in their holy undertakings So did Herod in the Text his aime in sending the wise men to Bethlehem was to compasse his owne mischievous designe of killing and yet by sending them he furthered their religious desire of finding and Worshiping Christ. 3. He sent them I might here take notice of the impiety of Herod in that he sent ethers but went not himselfe he sheweth them the ready way to Christ but sets not a foot forward himselfe Thus they may lead others to Heaven who yet neglect it themselves The Whetstone that sharpeneth the knife remaineth blunt it selfe the Bell calleth others to heare and yet is deafe it selfe the Signe sheweth the passenger an Inne for harbor whilst it selfe is weather-beaten the Nightingale that is restlesse her selfe sings another into a sweet sleep finally the Statue points a traveller his way but stirreth not it selfe and many who care not for Christ themselves may be instrumentall in bringing others to him Some there are so vile that they will neither goe themselves nor send others such was our Saviours just complaint of the Pharisees that they would neither enter into the Kingdome of Heaven themselves nor suffer others The most are so bad that they will not act themselves though they are so good as to permit yea excite others to the worke of finding Christ. But surely non meretur Christum invenire qui per alios quaerit this sacred service cannot be performed by a proxie nor shall he ever finde Christ who onely sets others about it as Herod in the Text He sent them to Bethlehem But that which is especially observable in this particular of his sending them to Christ is how Herods policy failed him Subtilty would have taught him not at all to have sent them but others why did he not imploy his owne Courtiers rather then trust strangers why did he not rather prevent their journey then hazard his own disappointment or if his detaining them might have raised a suspicion yet since the matter so neerly concerned him and the journey was so small why did he not goe himselfe with them or if not so why did he not together with them send messengers of his owne of whose fidelity to his designe he might have assured confidence Nothing had been more easie and plausible then sub officii praetextu in a way of Complement under pretence of Courtesie to have sent some assasinates with them who might have dispatched the childe immediately Some say the reoson of all this was to avoid suspicion But doubtlesse herein the wisdome of God was remarkable who so far blindes him ne consilium quod ante pedes erat arriperet that he did not lay hold on so obvious and probable a way of accomplishing his designe Divino nutu actunâ— ut Herodes confideret in simplicitate Magorum Gods providence so ordered it that Herod should confide in the wise mens returne and so deceive himselfe Had either Herod or any of his instruments accompanied them either they must not have found the childe or these must have found him also that had been inconvenient for them this had been dangerous for Christ. Divine prudence provideth against both by infatuating Herod in his plot in which whilst he carryed it on with various policy he discovered a sottish simplicity Such a fool is the craftiest Politician when God will defeat him The Germanes have a proverb When God intends to destroy any man he first closeth up his eyes agreeing with that of the Poet Quos Jupiter vult perdere dementat So he did by Herod he doth oft-times by the wicked shut their eyes that they shall not see the things which make for their greatest advantage The verity of this doctrine be pleased to observe in a double parallel the one eminent in Sacred the other in Prophane history Let the one be Jezabell a woman of no lesse politick a brain then haughty spirit and yet in that passage concerning Eliah she at once discovered both abundance of fury and defect of subtilty How deep her malice was let the message speak wherein she threatneth the Prophet with losse of life and that with a curse upon her selfe if her intent were not performed how shallow her wit was let the sending of a Messenger and her delay of execution speak What policy more plaine and common then to strike before we speak and seize on an Enemy unawares Whereas she befooled no doubt by God warned him both of the thing and time whereby he had opportunity and found meanes of escape Let Andronicus be the other who though he caused the Royall Blood to be let forth of the veynes of many to get and preserve the Kingdome yet suffered it to run in Isaacius his body who at length dispossessed him of his usurped Empire Thus the most expert gamesters doe sometimes oversee and the most cunning Polititians are oft confounded by God in their own devices See then the truth of Eliphaz his assertion concerning God He taketh the wise in their craft and the counsell of the froward is carried headlong so that what Jethro affirmed concerning the Aegyptians insolent carriage towards the Israelites may be applyed to the fraudulent practices of the wicked against the Church In the thing wherein they dealt proudly and those deal wisely God is above them Let not then any divellish Achitophels flatter themselves in their dark designes close contrivances as if there were no power to crosse their projects or wisdome to defeat their counsells While they conspire on Earth God laugheth in Heaven while they sooth up themselves in their subtilties God mocketh at their simplicity The foolishnesse of God saith St. Paul is wiser then men and the