Page:Sermons preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia.djvu/149

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ser. vii.]
foolish to get wisdom.
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like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord."[1] But with all these advantages in their hands to become wise unto salvation, it is a melancholy fact, that too many of our race remain foolish notwithstanding. The ungodly are wont to frame many excuses for their folly in continuing in their wretched state. They are all so frivolous in their character, that it is needless to detail. But whatever excuses they may frame to account for their not being truly wise, in the text, the grand reason is declared to be, that they have "no heart to it." Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?" That is, he has no sincere desire to obtain it. He will not be at the pains of considering long upon its nature, hence its transcendant excellencies are hid from his view.

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  1. James i., 5, 7.