Self-concettednefs mull be denied, they ?hough he common troths be iLiconior,,ably the greater. Anti hence it is that men that are fo rengctous of that which is their 0,,vn, when they caller let go..that which is Gods ; and naafi have all Coale to them, and every man deny his own judge- ment, except thernfelvcs ; and that it mull be the giory of others to yield to ,here, and their glory to yield to none, but to have all men come over & fubmit to theM,All thefe arc the fruits and difcoveries offelf as it reigns in rncns underdandings, who poilbly may think that its Chrifl & the Spirit than there exalted. Yet miaakeme not : I do not fay or think that a man thould forfake a certain truth for fear ofbeing accounted felf-conceited, nor that he muff prefently captivate his own underflanding to a learneder man, or the flronger, or more numerous fide, for fear of being felf-conceited. Much lets mull I deny that grace ofGod that bath made me favingly wife by his illumination, that was formerly foolifh, difobedient, and deceived in thedays of my ignorance. The worldmuff give us leave to triumph over our own former folly with Paul, Tit. 3. 3,4,5. and fay with the fame Paul, that we were no better then mad when we were enemies to the Gofpel,- AR. 26. I 1. and with the man in ?ob. 9.2,5. [One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I fee] Its no Self-conceitednefs for a man that is brought from the blind d ftraeted {lace of fin, into the light of the fan&ified, to know that he is wifer then he was before ; and that he was formerly betides himfelf, but now is come to his underflanding again. Nor is it any felf-conceitednefs for the meaneft Chralian to know that a wicked man is more foolith then he ; or for a Mi- nifter or any man that God bath caufed to excel' in knowledge, to hold fart the truth heknows, and to fee and modeftly oppofe the errors of another, and to know that in that he is wifer then they. God Both not require that we ;hall turn to every mans opinion, and reel up and down from fed to lett, and be of the opinion of every party that we come among, and all for fear of thinkingour felves wifer then they. David knew he had more linderflanding then his Teacher; tcPfal. 119. 98,99. and true believers fear not to fay [We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickednefs, 1 Joh. 5. T 9. & 3. 19. & 2. 3. And Paul would not forbear the reproving of Peter, for tear of being. 79
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