Is it indeed Jesus that thus crieth without and uttereth his voice in the streets? And shall not you and I go to him, and attend to him, and listen with suitable earnestness of soul, to what this divine Teacher teacheth? Did all the earth seek to hear the wisdom of Solomon, were they gathered from every part of it to his court? and shall not we be earnest to receive instruction, when a greater than Solomon is here?

Oh! thou, whose name is indeed Wisdoms! because nothing that is wise can be found, but in thee: do thou, blessed Jesus, while thou art calling without, incline my heart within to seek for thee as for hidden treasure, and to value thy love more than the choicest gold. And while thousands, and tens of thousands, are ignorant of thee, and know not where wisdom is to be found, and where is the place of understanding; while the depth saith, it is not in me; and the sea saith, it is not with me: oh! Lord, give me to see, that in thee are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and that in possessing thee, I possess all things.

Be thou, Lord, to me, the Wonderful Counsellor, for then shall I understand this book of the Proverbs, the words of the wise, and their dark sayings: then, through thy grace, will my feet be kept from evil, neither shall I run into the congregation of sinners. Yes! blessed Lord, I shall delight to sit at thy footstool, to hear the gracious words which proceed from thy mouth. And I shall more and more discover in thee, that thou art all in all, the Lord, my wisdom, and my righteousness, and that thou art made of God, unto me wisdom, and righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; and that all my glorying is in thee, O Lord.

Robert Hawker