A Scorner Incapable of True Wisdom.

A

SERMON

Preach'd before the

QUEEN

A T

WHITE-HALL.

October 28. 169 4.

PROVERBS xiv. 6.

A Scorner feeketh Wisdom, and findet

I

it not.

T is the Wifeft among the Children

of Men, who speaks; and about That, which moft nearly concerns Us, and He best understood, even the Method of attaining True Wisdom: It becomes us, L there

therefore, to give the most fixt and ferious Attention, we can, to what he is faying.

A Scorner, faith he, feeketh Wisdom, and findeth it not. Where we are, first, to enquire, Who it is, that is represented to us, under the Character of a Scorner; and, then, in what Senfe he is faid to Jeek Wifdom, but not to find it.

The Scorner is One, who is frequently mention'd in this Book of Proverbs; and against whom the Author of it hath levell'd no fmall Number of his Apophthegms, and wife Sayings. We find in the Pfalms, and Prophetick Writings also, many Glances at him, many Complaints of him fo that the Nation of the Jews did, it feems, abound mightily with this Sort of Men; and they were a Great and Particular Grievance to the Followers of True Piety and Wisdom.

Their Character feems, in fhort, to have been This. They were Men, that, with much ado, had made a fhift to get rid of Good Principles, and fuch ftiff' Opinions, as they found inconfiftent with a Loose Practice. As they had not any Religion themselves, fo their Way was to defpife Those who had; to look down

with Pity and Contempt upon a poor deluded Under-World; Beafts of Burthen that follow'd, in a Track, after their Leaders; Slaves to receiv'd Rules, and Precarious Opinions, to Foolish Empty Forms and Obfervances; but who never once reafon'd freely, or thought for Themfelves. They were unfortunately fallen into a Time, when frequent Commotions hapned in the Jewish State (as the Cafe remarkably was, in the Age before Solomon came to the Throne) and had seen several Sorts of Men uppermoft, and, confequently, feveral Notions of things prevailing by Turns. This contributed mightily to unfettle their Thoughts, or (as They call'd it doubtlefs) to enlarge them; to create in them a flight Opinion of the Eternal Differences of Right and Wrong, Good and Evil; and to make them laugh at Thofe, who were Eager on any Side, or for any Caufe whatfoever, which they did not get by.

fat

They evidently faw that Some, who up for greater Purity, and a Demurer Shew and Face of Religion than their Neighbours, were really Counterfeits,' and meant nothing, at the bottom, but Their own Intereft. And they wifely. refolv'd, upon this, that All Religion

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was,

was, like Theirs, a Convenient Trick and Pretence only; invented by Cunning men to keep filly People in awe, to make Princes Reign fafely, and the Priefthood Live Eafily. But as for Them, they knew better things than to fall in with the Herd, and to give themselves up to be ridden by the Tribe of Levi; the Pooreft and moft Contemptible Tribe of the Twelve, which had no Lot, no Inheritance among their Brethren; but liv'd upon the Cheat of Sacrifices and Offerings, and upon driving a Gainful Traffick for the Good Things of This World, here paid down to them, by promifing, and preaching up to Those they dealt with, a Recompence in a World

to come.

Nor were these men content to enjoy this Secret, which they had thus found out, quietly among themselves; but set up openly for Profelytes, and a Party; for running down all Religion, and for laughing Piety and Virtue out of Countenance: fo that a Good and Honeft Man was fure to be their Mark, wherefoever they found him; and they were fal, Ixiv. ever booting their Arrows against him, even Bitter Words. And this was come to that pass, that the True Servants of

God

God did almoft fink under the Affliction; and did make it matter of Publick Requeft to God in the Solemn Service of the Church, to be freed from it :- Have mercy upon us, O Lord, faid They, have Pf.cxxiii. mercy upon us, for we are exceedingly filled 3, 4. with Contempt. Our Soul is exceedingly filled with the Scorning of Thofe that are at Eafe, and with the Contempt of the Proud.

This is, in fome measure, the Chara&ter of That man, who, in the Language of the Text, is call'd A Scorner; and You fee now, in what Senfe he is faid to feek Wisdom, but not to find it. For the meaning of thefe Expreffions is plainly this; That He pretends to know more, and to fee farther, than the reft of mankind; to have made freer Enquiries after Truth, and to have fhaken off the Prejudices of Education more throughly: He fets up for examining things to the bottom, without taking them upon Truft, or relying on the Authority of any Man. What God is pretended to have faid in the Holy Writings, what Wife and Good Men have faid in all Ages, and Countries of the World, he is not much concern'd to know. To the Oracles of Right Reason he goes, (by Right Reafon always meaning his Own), and from thence he enquires, L 3

what