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SER M. arguments which prove his intelligence in ge-
X. neral, prove him alfo to be wife.

Wisdom in any agent is estimated by his
approbation of fuch ends, as in the judgment
of the perfon forming the estimation, are most
fuitable to his nature, and an invariable pur-
fuit of thofe ends by the best and most effec-
tual methods. It is, firft of all, abfolutely
neceffary that a right design be propos'd, elfe
no scheme of action can poffibly obtain our
esteem as wife, or intitle the agent to that
character. If we fee a man ever fo ingenious
about trifles, and contriving methods which
have the greatest aptitude to accomplish low
ends, and unworthy of his rational nature, this
can never raise any veneration for him in our
hearts, nay, we shall pronounce all his contri-
vances foolish. Now concerning ends, 'tis
plain that to us they are determin'd by our af
fections; and the measure of them, I mean
the rule whereby we judge whether they be
good or bad, right or wrong, is no other than
our own approbation. Subordinate ends are
only confidered as means, and derive their
value from the higher purposes which they
ferve; and ultimate ends to the human mind
are either private happiness, or the good of
others, to the purfuit of which we are de-
termined by felf-love and benevolence, the
general

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general governing fprings of action in our SERM. nature; 'tis the actions only which ultimate- X. ly terminate in thofe ends, or which have a tendency to promote them, that we pronounce wife. The man who takes the meafures, and fteddily adheres to them which have the strictest connexion, not with the gratification of a particular appetite or paffion, but his own true, moft extenfive and complete felicity, or with the greatest public good, is to be acknowledged a wise man; he who acts upon lower and inconfiftent views, does not merit that character,

But the question is, how fhall we judge concerning the ends of the Deity, fo as with understanding to pronounce him wife? Can we pretend to know what is or is not becoming the dignity and perfection of his nature? Or, fhall we make the instincts planted in our minds for the particular purposes of our being, a ftandard whereby to examine his actions, and pass a judgment upon them? I anfwer, that tho' indeed the Divine excellencies infinitely furpass our understanding, and we cannot take upon us to judge, as from a complete knowledge of them, what views they may require to be pursued; yet there are fome things which we cannot poffibly help thinking worthy of every intelligent nature.

Our

SERM. Our minds are fo conftituted that we necef

X. farily approve and admire goodness; and the Being who appears in his counfels to have intended, and by his actions to promote the moft extenfive happiness of other beings which are capable of it, we must judge to have the first and effentially requifite qualification of a wife agent. Again, tho' we have not fuch a knowledge of the Divine perfections, and of the nature and reafon of things, as to qualify us for judging, à priori, what is fittest for him to do; yet by obferving the mutual relations and harmony of things which he has made, and the aptitude of fome, as means, to answer others as the ends of them, we may collect, what in fact he did intend, and thereby discern the wisdom of the whole conftitu. tion. It is impoffible indeed for any finite understanding to penetrate into the depths of his defigns, or take in the intire scheme of his administration. We know not what remote and very important purposes may be ferv'd by his works, beyond all the views which fall under our obfervation; for who hath known the mind of the Lord, and who hath been his counfellor? But even by fuch a partial observation as our limited capacity can reach to, we may be able to trace the marks of excellent underftanding in fome of the ways of God, and

from

from thence reasonably conclude, that perfect SER M, wisdom governs the whole. For example, X. the Divine government over mankind, and the methods of providence towards them, may have a relation to the universe, and affect other orders of intelligent beings in a manner which we cannot comprehend; but confidering it abftractly, and as intire in itself, without any fuch relation, which is our way of conceiving, it may appear to us wife, and worthy of the most excellent Being.

2dly, Wisdom confifts in the choice and the use of proper means for accomplishing good ends. Suppofing an agent to have very right intentions, which is fo far praise-worthy, yet it fhews a defect of understanding, if he fails in the execution, by chufing means which are not fit. And it is this which is principally meant by wisdom, fo far as it denotes an intellectual ability. For to the ends which they pursue, moral agents are determin'd by their affections; but in the choice of means their understanding only can direct. Therefore imperfect minds which do not comprehend all the relations and connexions. of things, and do not foresee all future events, must be deficient in wifdom, tho' without fault in a moral fenfe; and the character of wife must be appropriated to God as it is

any

SER M. in the text; for he is only wife, having a perX. fect knowledge of every thing which fhall

*

ever come to pass, and which any power will, or can poffibly produce. It is elegantly faid in the book of Job, be putteth no trust in his fervants, and bis angels be chargeth with folly: Their understandings, tho' vaftly large, are not infinite; their great natural capacity is improved to a very high measure of knowledge, by their standing always in the prefence of God, and receiving his inftructions. Yet it is infufficient for the government of the world, and the direction of its affairs, which God hath referved in his own hands; committing nothing to the contrivance of his ableft minifters, (they are only employ'd to execute his orders) because of their imperfection in wisdom.

In this fenfe, the perfect wisdom of God is neceffarily infer'd from the other abfolute perfections of his nature. If he be every where prefent, and wherever he is present there is activity which cannot be refifted, and intelligence which cannot be misled or impos'd upon:-if he is abfolutely Omnifcient, knowing not only all things which now are, with the greatest exactnefs, even the most fecret thoughts of intelligent beings, but also all

* Job iv. 18.

things

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