GOD is the Beginning and End of all Things. With Him (as it be­comes us) we begin this Day: to Him, and to his Glory, as our ul­timate End, it behoves us to di­rect the Actions of this Day, and of our whole Life, that in him, when Time shall be no more, we may be most Blessed for ever.

To God we owe our Being, who gave us our Birth in a good Land, and in a pleasant Place, [Page 2]in the same Country, the Eden-of England; and thence transferr'd us, for our better Being, in­to the Great City of the Land, which by its sud­den Rise, in so much Splendour, from its wo­ful Ruines, is become the Wonder of the World. To Him give we the Glory of our Being and Brotherhood, the Praise of all the Blessings which contribute to our present Well-being, and encourage our Hopes of future Blessed­ness.

This is our Work, this our Duty at this Time, and your appearance (my much Honoured and Beloved Countrimen) in this Place, is a visible Pledg of your Readiness and Resolution to per­form it. For that ye may give unto God the Glo­ry due unto his Name, ye are this Day come unto his House, and are here ready to hearken to his Holy Oracles, that ye may be inform'd, what is most excellent, most acceptable to Him, and most honourable for your selves, in the Discharge of your Duty.

Many excellent things have been recommend­ed to you by the Ministers of his Holy Myste­ries upon the like Occasion, who have all de­sign'd your Advance in Virtue, that ye might become excellent Persons, and truly Honour­able in the Eye of the World, and in the sight of God himself. All that have spoken unto you in the Name of God (as those three young men, who contended for the Glory of uttering the wisest Sentence before K. Darius Esdr. 3.) have endea­voured to recommend to you that Virtue, which would render you the Worthies of your [Page 3]Country, the most accomplisht Persons for Ex­cellency and Goodness. After them all I come forth this Day, and tell your every one from the Mouth of the Lord, Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore, &c. Here's,

I. An Encomium of Wisdom; She is commend­ed to us as the most excellent of all things; Wisdom is the principal thing. Dull Mortals! Degenerate Mankind! Do men discern the Glit­ter of Gold, the sparkling Lustre of Gems, the Beauty and Sweetness of Gain, as one of the fairest Flowers in the Worlds Garden, and can they not discern the Excellency of Wisdom, without a Verbal Encomium? Are things brought to that pass, that she must bring her Letters of Commendation with her from Hea­ven, or she can hardly find Entertainment a­mongst men upon Earth? Must she have her Herald go before her to prepare her Way, by proclaiming her Excellency? However now we are utterly inexcusable if we do not give her an agreeable Entertainment, when we are in­form'd of her Quality, and told she is the prin­cipal thing, she holds the Principality amongst those Virtues, that ennoble, enrich, and adorn the Mind of man.

II. An earnest Perswasion, backt with Argu­ments, to endeavour the Acquisition and Im­provement of this Excellent Virtue; Therefore get Wisdom;—Exalt her, and she shall promote thee.—This is the Counsel and Advice of the Holiest of Kings, David, recommended to us by the Wisest of Men, Solomon. 'Tis to [Page 4]a threefold Act; 1. to Acquire, 2. Exalt, and 3. Embrace Wisdom.

1. To be diligent in the endeavours for the Acquisition of Wisdom; Therefore get Wisdom, and with all thy getting get Ʋnderstanding, i.e. make it thy chief Design and constant En­deavour, who pursuest any Excellency, any Advantage on Earth, to get Wisdom, as that which is most excellent and advantageous.

2. To give her the Preheminence in the Go­vernment of all the Actions of our Life. Which Advice is backt with an Argument, a Propo­sal and Assurance of Honour and Estimation, which shall accrue to a man thereby; Exalt her, and she shall promote thee. Wisdom seems to say to men, what the God of Wisdom said to Eli; Them that honour me I will honour: and they that despise me shall be lightly esteem­ed 1 Sam. 2.30..

3. To entertain her with the greatest Kind­ness, Familiarity and Endearment that may be; to take her into the Arms and Bosom-embraces of the Soul. To this, Honour and Ornament is assur'd, Glory and Renown. She shall bring thee to Honour when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine Head an Ornament of Grace: a Crown of Glory shall she deliver to thee. She shall procure to thee that Praise and Esti­mation, which will be to thee as a graceful Or­nament, as a glorious Crown. Man is the King of all Creatures; the wise man is a King a­mongst men, and the Glory of Wisdom is his Crown. 'Tis Wisdom will incircle thee with [Page 5]bright Glories on Earth, and entitle thee to Ho­nour and Happiness in Heaven.

And now behold I have set a noble Prize be­fore you, and would fain perswade you to a generous Contest for the Attainment of it. The Contest wherein I would engage you, is to ex­cell in Wisdom: the Prize is an Ornament of Grace, a Crown of Glory.

To make plain the way before you, I shall

• 1. Enquire what Wisdom is.
• 2. Shew you wherein the excellency of this Acquisition lies.
• 3. Make it plainly appear that this excel­lent Endowment is attainable, and shew you by what Means.

And then I shall endeavour to perswade you every one to Diligence in the Use of the Means for the Attainment of so excellent a Virtue. All with a Design to advance you to such a Degree of Excellency and Goodness, that ye may be the Glory of your Native Country, and the Or­nament of this great City, adding to the Splen­dour of its Riches and Honour, the Lustre of Wisdom and Virtue.

This is the Work which now lies before us, in the Management whereof I am oblig'd,

I. To enquire, and to give you an Accompt what Wisdom is. By the ancient Philosophers (who are follow'd by the Greek Fathers) it is thus defin'd; [...]. Alcin. de Dogm. Plat. Clem. Alex. Paed. l. 2. c. 2. Bafil. Sapientia est retum divinarum & hu­manarum, causarum (que) quibus hae res continentur scientia. Cic. l. 2. Offic. Wisdom is the Knowledge of [Page 6]the Nature and Causes, both of things Divine and Humane. Or, [...]. Aristot. 'Tis the Ʋnderstanding and Knowledge of the most excellent things. But this is but an excellent kind of Speculative Know­ledge, which may be in the Mind of a man ut­terly destitute of true Wisdom. Wisdom is cer­tainly a practick Excellency, a Virtue that di­rects and influences our Actions, to the Attain­ment of the most excellent Ends. It's as the Light of the Sun, which is accompanied with that Influence which fructifieth the Earth.

Wisdom then is an excellent, Energetical Virtue of the Mind of man, whereby, upon a clear Ap­prehension and a right Judgment of things, the whole Soul is carried out, in a well govern'd Order, in an earnest and constant Pursuit of the most excellent Attainments.

In this Description I have given you the live­liest Pourtraicture that I can of this excellent Virtue. Be pleased to peruse her several Linea­ments, and while I unvail her amiable Excel­lencies, keep your Eyes sixt upon her Beauty, till you find her Image imprest upon your Soul.

1 She is an excellent Virtue of the Mind of man.Man is the noblest Creature in the Universe; the Soul is the noblest Part of man; the Under­standing is the noblest Power of the Soul; and Wisdom is the noblest Virtue of that Pow­er, the most beautiful Embellishment of the Mind of man.

Other Virtues are for the most part seated in the Will, and their Office is the Moderation and [Page 7]Government of all the inferiour Appetites and Affections: But Wisdom has her Throne in the highest Place, is seated in the noblest Pow­er of the Soul, the Mind or Ʋnderstanding of man, and thence sends forth her Influence upon all the Powers and Motions of the Soul, the Acti­ons and Interests of the whole Life. There she sits as a Queen, and is attended with an ho­nourable Train of excellent Virtues. Temperance stands on her right Hand, and Patience on her left. Fortitude, Justice, Clemency and Good­ness stand before her Face, and Humility sits at her feet, and when ever she stirs abroad, Con­tentment attends all her Motions. Thus she is truly honourable in her Attendants, and in all her Appearances, and makes him that en­tertains her honourable and happy.

2 She is an Energetical Virtue,powerfully ope­rative. She gives not only a directive Light, but sheds forth also such a mighty Influence, as makes the Motions of the Soul and Actions of the Life agreeable.

3 She proceeds upon a clear Apprehension and right Judgment of things.For the wise mans Eyes are in his Head: but the Fool walketh in Darkness Eccl. 2.14..

4 Hereby the whole Soul is carried out,in a well govern'd Order, in an earnest and constant Pursuit of the most excellent Attainments. There is a threefold Act of Wisdom, viz.

1. To propose the most excellent End; as the Glory of God, and mans Good and Hap­piness.

2. To elect the best Means, which are most proper and powerfully conducible thereunto.

3. To engage the most earnest Endeavours, in the diligent Use of these Means, for the Attainment of this End.

And thus ye have seen what Wisdom is: Come we now to consider,

II. Wherein the Excellency of Wisdom lies. The Excellency of things adventitious to the Essence or Being of men, lies in their Useful­ness, or Subserviencie to his Well-being and Blessedness. Those things which give him Sup­port, Defence, and Lustre in the Eyes of the World, are commonly accounted excellent. Such are Riches, Power and Honour. Riches are a Support, Power a Defence, Honour an Ornament to men, giving a Lustre to their Per­sons and Actions. These, men are wont to pur­sue with much Earnestness, as most excellent Attainments, seeing they render them as Princes amongst the Poor, as Gods among men.

But now the Excellency of Wisdom, which gives it a Preheminence above all these extrin­sick Accessions, lies in this, that it conduces to the Perfection of the Nature of man, advances him to a Similitude to the most high God, and leads him to the Fruition of the chiefest Good, and so gives him Possession of the highest Hap­piness. The most splendid things on Earth are oft times given to those Sinners, who shall ne­ver see Gods Face in Heaven: but true Wis­dom is the Beatifick Virtue of the Saints, which leads them, by the Actions of a good Life, to [Page 9] the Beatifick Vision of God in Glory. Though secular Advantages then are sought for with great Earnestness, and esteem'd Excellent, Wis­dom is the principal thing, 'tis much more ex­cellent.

1. Wisdom is better than Riches [...]. Menand.. Riches are a comfortable Accessory to the Animal Life; Wisdom makes a man almost equal with An­gelical Beings. Hence 'twas said of David, My Lord the King is as an Angel of God 2 Sam. 18.27. & 14.17, 20.. Now what's the Life of a Beast to the active Excellency of an Angel? Certainly a Wise man, though with­out Wealth, does as much excel a Rich man, without Wisdom, as an Angel does an Ass laden with Gold. Thou hast Wisdom and wantest Riches; another has Riches and wants Wisdom. Now tell me, Canst thou be content to barter Conditions with him; to part with thy Wis­dom to be possest of his Wealth? No, 'tis im­possible. For he is already a Fool, who can consent to such an Exchange. This must needs extort a Confession from every one of you, that Wisdom is better than Riches, which yet is the golden Oyl, which sets all the Wheels of Acti­on throughout the whole World in Moti­on.

There is not certainly a more noble Possessi­on than that of Wisdom [...]. Men.. Riches are but an Addition to the outward Estate: Wisdom is the Eunoblement of the Mind of man. The one is but as a Prop set to a ruinous House: the other as a royal Diadem set on the Head of a Soveraign Prince. The Excellency of a thing [Page 10]may be estimated by the Loss or Deprivation. Now tell me, to which would ye rather con­sent; To have an Eye pluckt out of your Head, or to have a Skirt cut off from your Garment? Wisdom is as the Eye of mans Soul, whereas Riches, as a Skirt of a Garment, are but an Addition to his Estate, which oft-times are more a Burden than an Ornament.

Certainly the greatest Excellency and Praise of Riches is this, that they are good Instru­ments of Virtue. Their Excellency then lies in their Use, to which they neither are, nor can be apply'd without the Direction of Wisdom. Wisdom then is the Principal thing, to which Riches are subservient, when they become the Means of Glory to God, or Good to men. How much better then is it to get Wisdom than Gold? and to get Ʋnderstanding rather to be chosen than SilverPro. 16.16.? Yea Wisdom (saith So­lomon) is better than Rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Prov. 8.11.. And therefore,

2. Wisdom is to be prefer'd before Power. Pow­er, unless directed by Wisdom, like the dread­ful Thunder, breaks all in pieces. As a Sword in a mad mans Hand, such is great Power, which not being guided by Wisdom, becomes the Instrument of Rage and Folly. Power with­out Wisdom, is but as the strength of a Beast, dangerous and destructive. Wisdom in War is more Excellent than Power and strength. A wise man (saith Solomon) scaleth the City of the Mighty Prov. 21.22.. Victory is ofter owing to a wise [Page 11]Conduct, than the bruitish strength of an un­govern'd Body of People.

Moreover, the Power of a Prince is his Au­thority for the Government of his People. This is a Splendid and Noble Thing, an Excellency worthy to be Crown'd with Honour: But yet even this must give place to Wisdom, as the greater Excellency. Government is properly the direction of the actions of men to excellent ends for the Publick Good. Now hereunto two things are requisite, Right and Skill, or an ability to do it: The former without the latter is altogether insignificant and useless; the latter (when they are conjoyn'd) is the Lustre and Glory of the former. Now the former, Right to Govern, is Authority; the latter, Skill to do it well, is Wisdom. This then being the Praise and Glory of the other, as rendring it useful for the Publick Good, which is its only Excellency, is much more Excellent. For that which makes another thing excellent, must needs be more excellent it self. If Power and Authority then do owe their Excellency and Use, fulness to Wisdom, Wisdom that applyes them to their proper ends, must needs be much more excellent. A wise man is better than a King, [...] say the Hebrew Doctors; For (say they) if a wise man die, there is not presently found a wise man to succeed him; but if a King die, there's not a man of Israel, but may be made a King: Yea, they have a bolder. Proverb in the praise of Wisdom; Kings are the Judges of the Earth, but wise men are the Judges of Kings. [...]

3. Wisdom excells Honour: Honour with­out Virtue is but an empty Title, but Wisdom is a real Excellency, a rare endowment of the Mind of Man: Where there is Virtue to sup­port Honour, there Honour is the lustre of Vir­tue: But now Wisdom is it self a most excellent Virtue of the mind of Man; and therefore as much as the substance of Gold excells the shine, so much does Wisdom excell Honour.

Honour is but the estimation of Excellency, or rather some extrinsick Testimony of that E­stimation: But Wisdom is a real Excellency, which gives an intrinsick Worth and Value to the Mind of Man, and therefore is much to be preferr'd before that Honour which stands in some outward acknowledgement. What's a Gilded Title to a Noble Mind, or a little popu­lar Air, to that Excellency of spirit, which ren­ders a man usefull for the Publick?

But if any are delighted with the shine of Gold, let them possess themselves of that bright-fac'd Mettal, and then they may please them­selves as much as they will with its shining lu­stre. Do ye delight in Honour? seek for Wis­dom, and Honour will not fail to attend you: Exalt Her, and she shall promote thee; She shall bring thee to Honour, when thou dost embrace her, &c.

Thus ye see the Excellency of Wisdom to be such, as that it may justly challenge the prece­dency of Riches, and Power, and Honour, which are the most courted advantages, that I may not say, Vanities of the world. And so [Page 13]you have seen wherein that Excellency of Wis­dom lies, which justly denominates her the Prin­cipal thing: I come now to prove,

III. That this Excellency is attainable, and to show you by what means you may attain it.

The Throne of Wisdom is on High, and this World may seem to be left as the Stage on which Folly is come to act her part: Wisdom is so great an Excellency, that it may well be que­stion'd whether it can be found on Earth: Yet certainly this Excellency is attainable. If we be but serious and constant in our Endeavours, we may come to have our Souls adorn'd with the Lights and crown'd with the Glories of Wisdom. For,

1. 'Tis not sure in vain, that the Wise Man doth here commend Wisdom to us, and exhort us to the most earnest Endeavours to acquire it: Wisdom is the principal thing: therefore get Wisdom, and with all thy getting get Ʋnder­standing. God is not wont to delude men, in commanding them to seek that, which he is re­solv'd he will deny, or knows they cannot at­tain. This Excellency Wisdom is then certain­ly attainable.

2. God has assign'd unto Men that Work in the World, which cannot possibly be done with­out Wisdom; and yet if it be not done, he has subjected them to an inevitable Necessity of bearing his Wrath, and being eternally mise­rable. Wisdom is the Psalm 111.10. Pro. 1.7. and 9.10. first Principle of Re­ligion and Piety, whereby Man gives unto God the Glory due unto his Name. Psalm 29.2. This is his great [Page 14]Work in this world. And he that does not thus honour God on Earth, must expect no Glory nor Happiness in Heaven: What then remains, but that he must bear his own Guilt, and God's Wrath in Hell? Now if Wisdom was not attainable that this work might be done, this would be nothing else but a cruel design of the Eternal destruction of all Mankind, which is utterly inconsistent with the Divine Philanthropy, the essential Goodness of God, and his unspeakable Love to Man: And there­fore true Wisdom is certainly attainable.

3. God hath given to Man a Rational Soul, furnish'd with excellent Powers [...] Faculties, whereby it's capable of the most Noble Endow­ments, and agreeable Actions, as a Power of discerning betwixt Good and Evil; the Ʋnder­standing: and a Power of choosing the Good, and refusing the Evil; the Will. How far these Faculties are impeded by the depravation of Na­ture, and again relieved by the aids of Grace, I shall not now discourse. Certain it is, To know and discern is essential to the Understanding: to choose or refuse is essential to the Will. Here­by God hath given to Man an immediate capa­city of Wisdom, which stands in the knowledge of excellent things, the proposal of excellent ends, and the Choice and Use of the most pro­per means for the attainment of those ends. He that lives in the Use of his Reason, in the ex­ercise of these Noble Powers of his Soul, is, in some degree, Wise. He that applyes his Under­standing to the Knowledge of that which God [Page 15]reveals to be good for Man, and imployes all his Powers in the diligent and constant prose­cution of it, hath attain'd to true Wisdom. This Method is so Natural, this Motion is so agreeable, that it cannot but plainly appear, that this Excellency, this rare Endowment of the Mind of Man, Wisdom and Understanding is attainable.

Neither need I insist on the Means, by which it may be attain'd, seeing that has already been declar'd in some measure in the foremention'd Proofs and Instances of its attainableness: I shall only add, True Wisdom may be attain'd by these Means:

1. A due Government of a Man's self. He that would attain Wisdom, must not permit an Ataxy in his own Soul: He must not suffer the Inferiour Powers thereof to Usurp an Empire and Regency over the Superiour. He must carefully maintain the Right and Power of Rea­son in the Government of the Appetite and Pas­sions. The sensitive Powers must be strictly held in subjection to the Rational: Keep Rea­son in her Throne, and She will soon be inur'd to the Government of all the motions of the Soul, the actions of the Life, according to the Rules of Wisdom.

2. A serious Deut. 32.29.consideration of a Mans State. There's an Eternal State of Happiness or Misery remains for every Man after death, according to his demeanour in this Life. The Wicked shall be tormented in Mat. 25. ult. Eternal Fire: the Righ­teous shall Mat. 13.43. shine as the Sun, in the splendours [Page 16]of a superexcellent Glory, which shall never suffer the least Eclipse. Now a Holy and Vir­tuous Life is the Way and Means to this State of Excellent Glory. The lively consideration hereof must needs be of mighty Power and In­fluence to incline a man to the choice and use of these Means, in order to so excellent an end: And herein lies Man's true Wisdom.

3. A diligent study of the Holy Scriptures; Herein are contain'd the Oracles of God, where­in his hidden Wisdom is reveal'd to Men. The Holy Bible is the Book of Wisdom. Of this blessed Book may be truly said, that which (not without great vanity) was inscribed upon the Tomb of Pherecydes the Syrian; [...], La­ert.Here lies Wisdom in its highest Perfection. That Wisdom which shineth in its highest Glory, amongst Angels in Heaven, here discloseth it self in its amiable and most attractive Beauties to men on Earth. By Meditation on God's Testi­monies Holy David became Ps. 119.98, 99, 100. wiser than his Enemies, wiser than the Ancients, wiser than his Teachers, whose Office it was to teach him Wis­dom: The Holy Scriptures are able to make a man wise to Salvation: 2 Tim. 3.15. Herein God hath set before us, and proposed unto us those things, in the Knowledge and Practise whereof stands that True Wisdom, which is Man's greatest Excellency and Glory. The Holy Gospel is the manifestation of the Wisdom of God in a My­stery, even the hidden Wisdom, which God Or­dain'd before the World unto our Glory. 1 Cor. 2.7. The wisest men that ever were in the world, who [Page 17]were not immediately inspired by God, ow'd their Excellent Wisdom to the study of his Holy Word. That great Oracle of Wisdom, and State-Politie, the Lord Verulam, confest he ow'd his Wisdom to the Works of Solomon, particularly the Book of the Proverbs. The Holy Scri­ptures are that Great Light, which God hath set up and appointed to give the Light of Wis­dom to the Rational World.

And thus you see by what Means this Excel­lency, that so ennobles the mind of Man, may be attain'd.

Now me thinks every one of you should be inflam'd with a Generous Desire of so great an Excellency, and should resolve to be diligent and serious in your endeavours for the attain­ment of it. It's an Argument of a base and mean Spirit to rest in an inglorious sloth, when a man is call'd to an Honourable Imployment. Behold, here's a Noble Design, a Work wor­thy to engage all your Powers, though ye were the greatest Princes on Earth, the Acquisition of Wisdom. Wisdom is the greatest Excellen­cy and Adornment of the Soul of Man, and ren­ders him amiable and illustrious in the sight of God. Wisdom more adorns a King than His Royal Diadem, and redeems the meanest man from an unregarded Obscurity, and renders him truly Excellent and Honourable. A wise Man, though in never so poor and mean Estate, is a bright Star, incircled with his own Rayes of Glory, and need not envy the proudest Princes their Secular Greatness and Honour. [Page 18]There are many things Excellent, Great, Glori­ous in the worlds eye, which men are wont to pursue with great earnestness, and would ac­count themselves very happy in the acquisition and attainment of them: But, Wisdom is the prineipal thing; therefore get Wisdom, &c. Ex­alt her, and she shall promote thee, &c.

Such is the Excellency and desirableness of Wisdome; and therefore, 1. Get Wisdome: 2. Ʋse Wisdom: and 3. Let your Wisdom be accompanied with those Virtues and Graces, which may demonstrate its Excellency and Glo­ry.

1. Get Wisdom; why should you take up with any other acquisition, when you are ca­pable of so great an Excellency? What is it in the world on which men put the greatest va­lue? Silver, Gold, Gems? Know, Wisdom is more excellent and desirable: It cannot be got­ten for Gold, neither shall Silver be weighed for the price thereof: It cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir, with the precious Onyx or the Saphire: The Gold and Crystal cannot equal it; and the exchange of it shall not be for Jew­els of fine Gold. No mention shall be made of Coral or of Pearls; for the price of Wisdom is above Rubies: The Topaz of Aethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure Gold. Job 28.15-19. The Gold of Ophir, the Topaz of Ae­thiopia, the precious Onyx and the Saphire, the Crystal and the Coral are not worthy to be compar'd to Wisdom. Did men but know the worth of Wisdom, the finest Gold, the fairest [Page 19]Pearls, the richest Rubies, would find but small regard. Could the Excellency and Beauty of Wisdom be presented to the eye of man, the finest Gold would cease to shine, the fairest Pearls would soon grow pale, and the richest Rubies would blush for shame, as wholly van­quish'd by so rare a Virtue, and render'd of lit­tle or no value.

Wisdom is the Excellency of the most Noble Beings; it's the Praise of Men, the Perfection of Angels, the Glory of God: The Sun is the Glo­ry of the world, Light of the Sun: God is the Glory of all Beings, Wisdom is the Glory of God. Now how great an Honour is it for a Mortal Man to be [...]. Alcin. c. 2. [...]. Famb. like to the most High God, in that Excellency, which is his Glory! To glitter in Gold is accounted a great Glory; but it's a far greater, to be an Earthly God, in the Excellency of Wisdom: Get Wisdom therefore, and with all your getting get Ʋnderstanding. For,

1. Wisdom will give the greatest Excellency to your Persons: 'Tis Wisdom that makes a Mans face to shine: Eccl. 8.1. For it impresses upon him a Ray of the Glory of God: [...]Wise men on Earth are like the stars in Heaven, say the Hebrew Doctors. Certainly, Wisdom excells Folly, as far as Light excells Darkness. Eccl. 2.13. There's not more difference betwixt a Man and a Beast, than betwixt a Wise Man and a Fool. Wisdom will crown you with a singular Glory; 'twill make you as Princes amongst the People, as An­gels amongst men.

2. 'Twill make you beneficial to others: 'Tis the Glory of Man to be the Means of Good to many: 'Twas the Wisdom of Joseph, which preferr'd him to that great Honour in Aegypt, which gave him a mighty Capacity of doing Good; and so he became the Means of sustain­ing his Fathers Family, yea, the whole Land of Aegypt, and all the Neighbouring Countries in the years of Famine. By Wisdom ye may not only promote the Welfare of your own Country, but also contribute to the Safety, Peace and Ho­nour of the whole Kingdom. 'Tis Wisdom will make you living Images of the great God, and mighty Instruments of Good to men.

3. 'Twill make you truly Happy and Ho­nourable; Happy in the Favour of God, Ho­nourable in the Esteem of Men. True Wisdom is alwayes attended with a train of Excellent Virtues, and it intitles men to the highest Ho­nours, to Immortal Glories in the Kingdom of God. The Glory of Wisdom out-lasts mens Life, and shall have a Resurrection with their Bodies from the Grave: For when the Day is come, that the Dead shall rise from the Dust, then shall they that be Wise shine as the bright­ness of the Firmament; Dan. 12.3. in the lustre of a su­perexcellent Glory, in the Kingdom of God: Happy then is the Man that findeth Wisdom, and the man that getteth Ʋnderstanding: For length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left hand Riches and Honour. Prov. 3.13, 16. Glory is the inheritance of Wisdom: For the wise shall in­berit Glory; when shame shall be the promotion [Page 21]of Fools.Prov. 3. ult.Get Wisdom then, and with all your getting get Ʋnderstanding. Exalt Her, and She shall promote thee; She shall bring thee to Ho­nour, when thou dost embrace Her: She shall give to thine Head an Ornament of Grace, a Crown of Glory shall She deliver to thee.

Be sensible of your want of Wisdom. It's not to be imagin'd, that he should earnestly endea­vour to get Wisdom, who has an Opinion that he is already Wise: Be not wise therefore in your own conceits: Rom. 12.16.Let no man deceive him­self: If any man among you seem to be wise in this world, ('tis the Apostles Counsel) let him become a Fool that he may be wise: 1 Cor. 3.18. For he that thinks himself sufficiently Wise, is cer­tainly a Fool: whereas he, who being sensible of his Folly, seeks after Wisdom, begins to be Wise.

Seek then after Wisdom as the Principal Ex­cellency and ennoblement of your Nature: and that ye may attain it,

1. Converse with the Wise: For he that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a com­panion of Fools shall be destroy'd: Pro. 13.20. This world is the Temple of God: Wise Men are Lamps, which God hath lighted up therein. One Lamp may be lighted from another. From them ye may derive that Light of Wisdom, which will make you to shine in the eyes of God and Men: But know the truly virtuous are the only Wise. The Light of Wisdom shines in a Holy Life, as a bright star in a serene skie. Choose then Holy and Good Men for your [Page 22]intimate Companions, that through the Light and influence of their Communications and Ex­ample, you may learn Wisdom by a living Law. Thus Holy David, I am a Companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts. Psalm 119.63. These are as God's Mystick Seals, by which he impresses Wisdom on the minds of men.

2. Ask Wisdom of God: For the LORD giveth Wisdom, out of his mouth cometh Know­ledge and Ʋnderstanding. Prov. 2.6. God is the Foun­tain of Wisdom, being infinitely, essentially wise. Angels excel in Wisdom: these bright Lamps which burn before the Throne of God, were lighted up by his Glorious Beams. To whom then should Man go, who wants and desires Wisdom, but to the All-wise God? 'Tis He that hath said, Ask, and it shall be given you. Matt. 7.7. Luk. 11.9. Did the poorest man present know where he might have Gold for asking, he would soon out-shine the Rich, and disdain to fill his Trea­sury with any baser Metal: But he that asks Gold of the Rich, shall but be derided for the insolency of his request. But, If any of you lack Wisdom (which is better than Gold) let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberal­ly, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. Jam. 1.5. Thus did King Solomon become the wisest man in the World.

3. Engage your selves with all seriousness in the exercise of a solid Piety, and the Virtues of a Holy Life: For, The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom: A good Ʋnderstanding [Page 23]have all they that do his Commandments. Psalm 111.10. Live not then at random; but make an Election up­on a due deliberation of that course of Life, which you apprehend to be most excellent and agreeable to the Divine Will, and most conducible to your future good, your eternal happiness: Bind your self with the firmest Re­solutions, notwithstanding all difficulties and discouragements, to persist in this way, till you attain your end. When you are assaulted with Temptations, remember then not to act ac­cording to your present inclinations, but ac­cording to that Election you have made, those resolutions which you have fixed in your soul, upon a mature deliberation: This is your high­est Wisdom, to act according to the Rules of Virtue, with an unshaken constancy, till you shall receive a Crown of Glory.

Thus I have shew'd you the way and means whereby ye must get Wisdom. Now,

II. Learn to use Wisdom: Let Wisdom be your Guide in all your Affairs, and Understand­ing your directress in all your undertakings: Be diligent, serious and constant in doing those things wherein true Wisdom doth consist. As­semble all the Powers of your Soul for this pur­pose. The Sun incessantly moves in the Hea­vens, and as incessantly shines on the Earth; so do ye in the Lights of Wisdom, till ye shall be incircled with Raies of Glory in the presence of God. Enter then into the paths of Virtue, that ye may shine in the Lights of Wisdom. Desist from Sin, as the greatest Folly; believe in [Page 24] Christ, obey his Gospel, and submit to his Go­vernment, that ye may secure the salvation of your Souls, which is your highest Wisdom.

Let your Wisdom disclose it self in your 1. Piety towards God; 2. Loyalty to the King; and 3. Love and Charity to one another: I shall propose these Duties to you, only as proofs of the Wisdom, the proper acts and indications of this excellent Virtue.

1. Let your Wisdom shine in your Piety to­wards God: True Wisdom comes from God, and discloses its Excellency and Divine Original by those Acts of Religion and Piety, by which Man makes the nearest approaches to God. Re­ligion, in its Rise, is Mans Return to God; in its Progress, his Honouring of God by acts of Devotion, and the Virtues of a Holy Life; in its End, his Union with God, and fruition of him as the chiefest Good, and his highest hap­piness for ever.

Now if Religion and Piety, which compre­hends all the Virtues and Duties of a good Life, be the proper argument and evidence of True Wisdom, certainly Atheism and Irreligion, de­bauchory and sin are undeniable evidences of the want of this excellency. Swearing, Lying, Cur­sing, Drinking to excess, Whoredom and Un­cleanness, Cheating and Over-reaching for gain, are visible badges of folly, and marks of mad­ness upon men. For is it not desperate folly and madness in a Mortal Man, to make Almigh­ty God his Enemy, by slighting his Authority, breaking his Laws, and despising his Govern­ment? [Page 25]Is it not Folly and Madness in men, to provoke Him to wrath by their sins, in whose Favour lies all their Felicity? Is it not Folly and Madness in Men, made after the Image of God, for a little sordid gain, or filthy pleasure of Sin, to cast away all possible hopes of future happiness in Heaven?

Take heed then, ye that would be account­ed Sons of Wisdom, that ye be not justly char­ged with Folly. Let not an Oath, a Curse, or any corrupt Communication be heard to come out of your mouths; drink not to excess, nor provoke any other to drink to your measure. Let not your Meeting this Day be a Feast of Fools. If any man swear an Oath, let him pay for his folly, and bear his own shame, while ye manifest your Wisdom, in drawing from the mire and filth of your Country (the swag­gering, swearing debauchee is no better) some profit for the relief of the Poor.

2. Shew your selves wise men by your Loy­alty to your King. Law and Government is the greatest security we have under Heaven for our Lives and Liberties, our Religion and Property, and whatsoever is or ought to be dear unto us. Take away the fence of Law, break down the Wall of Government, and all is instantly laid open and common. The strong will oppress the weak, the Poor will prey up­on the Rich, and the Lives of the Innocent will be in the hands of the Cruel. A fruitfull Land will soon become a barren Wildorness; Cities and Dwelling-houses would be turn'd [Page 26]into Dens of Bruit-beasts, and wild salvages in the shapes of men. Loose but the Bonds of Government, and all things would instantly run into Confusion, and men would still prey upon one another, till they became all a prey to a Foreign Foe, all inslaved to a Foreign Yoke. To prevent so great mischiefs, it's the Wisdom of every man to contribute what he can to the Conservation of the Law and Go­vernment under which he lives, in its full Strength and Beauty. Now the Loyalty and Obedience of the Subjects to their Soveraign, gives the greatest strength to the Law, and Beauty to the Government.

He that breaks a Law opens a Gap in the Fence, and he that despiseth Authority, expo­ses the Government to Contempt. When a Multitude, in pursuit of some particular Ad­vantage, or for the redress of some particular Grievance, combines together to over-bear the Law, and subvert the Government of a King­dom, they act the greatest folly imaginable, by de­stroying the best security they have for all they enjoy. They do but try their Forces to sink the Ship wherein they sail; to pull down the House in which they dwell; to overthrow the Stage on which they stand, to their inevitable Ruine.

The Sovereign Power is the Soul of the Law and Government: He that weakens this Power, goes about to destroy the Law, to subvert the Government: But Loyalty and Obedience to the Sovereign, who governs his Subjects by [Page 27]Good Laws, preserves the Law in its full Force, and the Government in its Lustre and Glory. Now this is your greatest security for your dearest interests, and will be a proof of your Wisdom, and render you the Worthies of your Countrey.

3. Demonstrate your Wisdom by your Love and Charity to one another. Union is a work of Wisdom, as mightily conducing to the greater good of the parts united. Now Bro­therly Love is the beautiful band of Union: Behold how good, and how pleasant it is for Brethren (of the same Countrey, of the same City, of the same Church) to dwell together in Ʋnity. Ps. 133.1. Unity is the Beauty and Strength of a Society, its Safety and Glory. The Branch by its Union with the Tree, the Stone with the Building, a Member with the Body, secures it self and the Body, the Building, the Tree: but when this Union is dissolv'd, the part, if not the whole, is soon destroy'd. 'Tis then your Wisdom to maintain that Union by Brotherly Love, which is so conducible to your mutual Good. This will be your Strength and Beau­ty, your Excellency and Honour. The Conser­vation and Improvement hereof for its proper ends, will be your Wisdom, as Men, and as Christians, your Crown and Glory.

But then to your Brotherly Kindness add Charity; 2 Pet. 1.7. in the Relief of those that are in Distress, in the Redemption of your poor Bre­thren from the Ignominy, Obscurity and Mi­sery of an indigent Condition. This will be a [Page 28]singular Proof of your Wisdom, as well as a visible mark of your Christianity. 'Twill be your Wisdom in dayes of Danger, to secure your Estates; and nothing can be so safe as that which (by Acts of Charity) is laid up in Heaven. [...] 6. [...]. It's certainly an Act of great Wis­dom in a man, to improve his Temporal E­state to the best advantage. And this improve­ment is the best made, this advantage is best se­cur'd by the Offices of Charity. For by do­ing Good to others, a man treasures up Glory to himself. For though the Poor may seem a barren soil, he that sows this precious Seed, shall reap Honour on Earth, and rewards in Heaven. Divine Charity is the only Excel­lent Chymistry; it turns even Dross into Gold. Hereby you may commute your Temporal Riches for Eternal Treasures. 'Tis the Grain not stor'd up in the Garner, but sown in the Fields, that yields the plentiful encrease.

If God then by his Blessing hath given you a Temporal Estate, it's your Wisdom to imploy some part thereof in Works of Charity, as the best improvement for an Eternal Advantage. They who most abound with worldly Goods, are but Stewards of Gods Blessings, and 'tis their Wisdom to imploy them according to his Will. This is the Proof of their Fidelity, whereupon they may expect God's Acceptance and a great reward.

That Advantage is most to be valued, which is of greatest extent and longest duration. Such is the advantage which may be acquir'd by the [Page 29]Offices of Charity. For hereby many persons may be rais'd from an unprofitable sloth and deep poverty, to a happy Capacity of do­ing good to others; and then will the Glory of all their good deeds redound to you. So may ye do good after this Life, and bring Glo­ry to God, when ye shall sleep in your Beds of Honour; such are the Graves of good men, who having finish'd their course of Virtue, lie down in Glory, and rest in the hope of a happy Resurrection to the Glorious Joys of an endless Life.

'Tis certainly a commendable Act of Chari­ty, to take Children out of poor Families, and train them up in honest Trades and Callings, whereby they may become serviceable to the Publick Good. [You may here behold this day some Instances of the Fruits of this Charity Above 60 Youths put out Appren­tices in London by the Chari­ties of this Aniversa­ry Feast..] From these neglected Quarries, are those stones sometimes taken, which are the Strength and Beauty of the Building; the stately Pinnacles and Top-stones thereof.

Wisdom shines in her brightest splendour in the Works of Charity, which are the paths to Honour. Count it your Glory then to do Good; to be Beneficial to your poor Brethren. Hide not your selves from your own flesh Isa. 58.7.. No­thing is more Divine, than to do Good [...]. Synes. Ep. 31.. It's a more blessed thing to give, than to receive Acts 20.35.. Honour God then with your substance Pro 3.9., and relieve the Poor with some part of your Estate: So shall the Poor at once lift up their eyes up­on you, and their hands to Heaven and bless [Page 30]you, while they behold you with Love and Veneration, as so many Living Images of the Eternal Divinity, the Sovereign Beauty and Goodness.

Thus I have shew'd you the right Use, and best improvement of Wisdom, for the Glory of God, and Good of Men. Now in the last place,

III. Let your Wisdom be accompani'd with those Virtues and Graces, which may with the most convincing Light and Evidence attest its Original, and justifie it to the World, to be the Off-spring of Heaven, the Daughter and the de­light of God; as with Innocency, Meekness and Humility.

1. Innocency. Defraud no Man, wrong no Man; Be wise as Serpents, but be harmless as Doves Mar. 10.16.. Wisdom buildeth her House, but not with the Ruines of her Neighbour. He that does wrong to another, doth the greatest in­jury to himself: For he subjects himself to Gods 1 Thess. 4.6.Wrath, and his Estate to his Mal. 2.2. Curse, which may not only secretly consume his ill-gotten Goods, but also bring his whole Estate to nothing. No Man can shine in the Lights of Wisdom, but in the State of Innocency.

2. Meekness. Disturb no man: Disquiet not your selves by letting loose your unruly Pas­sions. Folly is clamorous and troublesome, but Tranquillity and Peace are the inseparable Companions of Celestial Wisdom. The Wisdom that is from above, is, first pure, and then peaceable, gentle, and easie to be entreated Jam. 3.17.. [Page 31]Wisdom is a glorious Princess, and She Governs her Subjects in Peace. Unruly Passions are not permitted to keep their Revels under her Re­gency. These Rebels against Reason are bound in Chains, or banish'd from her Dominion. He is a Wise man that knows well how to Govern a City; but he more excells in Wisdom, who knows how to govern his own Spirit Prov. 16.32.; who upon all Provocations, can keep his Passions under the Rule and Regency of Reason. He is both a Fool, and dangerous, who upon eve­ry petty discontent is ready to set his own House on fire, and does what he can to put the Neighbourhood into a flame. Where the Spi­rit of a Man takes fire, with a little spark, a slight Provocation, there is wanting the Meek­ness of Wisdom. Jam. 3.13.

3. Humility. Despise no man: He that de­spiseth his Neighbour is void of Wisdom Prov. 11.12.. Pride not your selves in the Opinion of your own Excellency: For when pride cometh, then com­eth shame; but with the lowly is Wisdom Prov. 11.2.. Wisdom cohabits with Humility, and therefore let not the Wise Man Glory in his Wisdom Jer. 9.23., or despise his Neighbour because of his Folly. Alas, O Man, who made thee to differ 1 Cor. 4.7.! The Great God who made you both, might have given him Wisdom, and said of thee, Let him be a Fool. Art thou wiser than another? Be not lifted up: there are others wiser than thou. If thou wast in deed wiser than all men, yet what was thy Wisdom, but Folly to the most Wise God? Certainly thou canst not deserve [Page 32]so much Folly in the weakest man, as the All-wise God discerns in thee. Angels excell in Wisdom, yet the most Wise God charges them with Folly Job 4.18.. Now dost thou not desire, that God who sees Folly in thee, may not despise thee? Then remember, that it is the Will of God, and there is the greatest Reason in the world, that thou shouldest not despise thy Bro­ther, though thou perceivest in him a want of Wisdom. Has God given you Wisdom, con­serve it in Humility, and it will be your great Glory. Angels excell in Wisdom, and they are exemplary in Humility: They veil Isa. 6.2, 3. their faces in the presence of God, and give Glory to His Name: And it is an Act of Humility in Man, to give the Glory of all his Excellency to God: And therefore, To God alone be ascribed, Rev. 7.12.Wis­dom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blessing, and Praise, both now and for ever­more. Amen.