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dent Creatures, all whofe Faculties, andthe Exercife of them, are derived from God; that we ought therefore to exercife a due Modefty, and practise a due Submission, of Mind in Divine Matters, particularly in the Search after the Nature, and Laws, and Providence of our great Creator: A Submission, I mean, not to Human, but to Divine Authority, when once it fhall be authentickly made known to us: That the Humble Addreffing of our felves to God for his Aid, Direction, and Bleffing on our Studies and Enquiries, is one plain Inftance of fuch our Submiffion to Him, and that a ready Compliance with Divine Revelation, and a ready Obedience to the Divine Will, fo far as we have clearly difcover'dit, is another neceffary Inftance of the fame bumble Regard to the Divine Majefty. Nor indeed can any one who comes to thefe Sacred Enquiries with the oppofite Difpofitions, of Dishonesty, Partiality, Pride, Buffoonry, Neglect of all Divine Worship, and Contempt of all Divine Revelation, and of all Divine Laws, expect, even by the Light of Nature, that God should be oblig'd to dif cover further Divine Truths to him. Nor will a fober Perfon, duly fenfible of the dif ferent States of Creator and Creature, imitate Simon Magus, and his Followers, in the firft Ages of the Gospel, and fet up fome Metaphyfical Subtilties,or Captious Questions A 3 about

about the Conduct of Providence, as fufficient to fet afide the Evidence of confeffed Miracles themselves; but will rather agree to that wife Aphorifm laid down in the Law of Mofes, and fuppofed allover the Bible; That Deu.xxix. Secret Things belong unto the Lord.

29.

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but Things that are revealed, to Us and to our Children, that we may do them. Now in order to the making fome Impreffions upon Men in this Matter, and the convincing them, that All our Discoveries are to be derived from God; and that we are not to expect his Bleffing upon our Enquiries, without the foregoing Qualifications, Devotions, and Obedience; Give me leave here, instead of my own farther Reafoning, to fet down from the Ancient Jewish and Chriftian Wri ters, Several Paffages which feem to me very remarkable and very pertinent to our prefent Purpose: Not now indeed, as fuppofing any of thofe Obfervations of Sacred Authority, but as very right in themselves; very agreeable to the Light of Nature, and very good Teftimonies of the Senfe of wife Men in the Several ancient Ages of the World to this Purpofe. And I chufe to do this the more largely bere, because I think this Matter to be of very great Importance: because it seems to be now very little known or confider'd, at Leaft very little practis d,by feveral pretended Enquirers into Reveal'd Religion; and be

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caufe the Neglect hereof feems to me amain Occafion of the Scepticism and Infidelity of this Age.

1, 2, 3, 6.

The Lord fpake unto Mofes faying; See, Ex. xxxi. I have called by Name Bezaleel, the Son of Uri, the Son of Hur, of the Tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in Wisdom, and in Understanding, and in Knowledge, &. And in the Hearts of all that are wife-hearted, I have put Wisdom, &c.

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xxviii.

15.

It fhall come to pafs, if thou wilt Dent. not hearken unto the Voice of the Lord thy God, to obferve to do all his Commandments, and his Statutes, which I command thee this Day, that all these Curfes fhall come upon thee, and overtake thee: The Lord fhall fmite thee v. 28, 29. with Madness, and Blindness, and Aftonishment of Heart; and thou fhalt grope at Noon-day, as the Blind gropeth in Darkness.

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The Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive, and Eyes to fee, and Ears to hear, unto this Day.

xxix.

12.

Give thy Servant an Understanding King.iiì Heart, to judge thy People; that I may 9, 10, 11. difcern between Good and Bad: For who is able to judge this thy fo great a People? And the Speech pleafed the Lord, A 4

that

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7.28.

Job xxxii.

7, 8.

xxxiii.

12, 13.

xxxiv.

31, 32.

xxxvii. 5.

that Solomon had asked this Thing. And
God faid unto him, because thou haft
asked this Thing;
Haft asked for

thy felf Understanding to difcern Judg-
ment; behold I have done according to
thy Words: Lo, I have given thee a Wife
and an Uuderstanding Heart; fo that there
was none like thee before thee; neither
after thee fhall any arife like unto thee.
And all Ifrael heard of the Judg-
ment which the King had judged; and
they feared the King, for they faw that
the Wisdom of God was in him, to do
Judgment,

I faid, Days fhould fpeak; and Multitude of Years should teach Wisdom: But there is a Spirit in Man; and the Infpiration of the Almighty giveth them Understanding.

Behold in this thou art not juft;, I will answer thee, that God is greater than Man. Why doft thou strive against him? For he giveth not Account of any of his Matters,

Surely it is meet to be faid unto God, I have born Chaftisement; I will not offend any more: That which I fee not, teach thou me; if I have done Iniquity, I will do no more.

God thundreth marvellously with his Voice: Great Things doth he which we cannot comprehend.

With

With God is terrible Majefty: Touch- v. 22, 23, ing the Almighty we cannot find him out: 24. He is excellent in Power, and in Judgment, and in Plenty of Juftice: He will not afflict. Men do therefore fear him: He refpecteth not any that are wife of Heart,

Who hath put Wisdom in the inward xxxviii. Parts? Or who hath given Understanding 36. unto the Heart?

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Then Job answered the Lord and faid; xliii. 1,2, I know that thou canft do every Thing, 3 and that no Thought can be with-holden from thee. Who is is he that hideth Counfel without Knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. : I have heard of thee by the Hearing v. 6, 6. of the Ear, but now mine Eye feeth thee: Wherefore I abhor my felf, and repent in Duft and Ashes.

The Meek will he guide in Judgment; Pfal. xxv. The Meek will he teach his Way.

The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will fhew them his Covenant.

9.

V. 14.

Thou through thy Commandments haft cxix. 98, made me wiser tha mine Enemies; for 99, Ico. they are ever with me. I have more Understanding than all my Teachers, for thy Teftimonies are my Meditation. I

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