Page:True religion a source of happiness.pdf/5

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5

"Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." In attempting an illustration of the text, I purpose,

I. To consider what is here meant by Wisdom.

II: Illustrate the truth of the proposition, that: " Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."

III. I shall answer a few objections.

I. We are to consider what is here meant by wisdom, which is mentioned in ver. 13. and referred to by the pronoun her in our text. By wisdom here we are not to understand that natural sagacity which some men are possessed of in a higher degree than others; for there is nothing praise-worthy in mere natural talents, which, though a blessing in themselves, are often abused to the purposes of folly and vice, the very opposite of wisdom,— Nor are we to understand by wisdom, that cunning, or political crafitness which is to be found in the most wicked characters, and is generally the object of fear and suspicion rather than of esteem.—Neither does it signify that worldly acquired wisdom,