7o Self-conceitednefs muff be denied. being thought to befilf- conceited, Gal. 2. fome men are fo de- fperatelyRifconceited chat they take every man to befelf-con- ceited that is not of their conceits. But when felf is mens inftrucior, and choofeth their text, and furnifheth themwith matter, and nothing is favoury but what is either fuited to the common inter& of Pelf, or which it path not a fpecial intereft in ; when men are abiOlutely wife in their own eyee, and comparatively wifer then thole that know much more then they; when f ferves inftead of evidence to the receiving, retaining, or contending for a point ; when men think they know that which indeed they do not know ; and obferve the little which they do know, more then an hundredfold more that they are ignorant of; doUbtlefs here'sfelf.conceitednefs with a witnefs and they that will not fee it in a lower degree, me thinks fbould fee it in fuch a cafe as this. He that will not be- lieve that a man is drunk when he reels and hammered), may know it when he lied) fpewing in the fireets. Well Sirs, I befeech you fee that/elf in the underliandimg be mortified and pulled down. Its the throne of God , the Lan- thorn ofholy truth, the temple of the Spirit ; and (ball Pelf rule there ? Theunderflanding is it that guideth the foul and all the .adtions of your lives : and iffelf rule there, what a ruler will yon have ? and what a cafe will heart and life be in ? If your eye be dark, your Light be dark, how great will be your darknefs and if it befe/fifh, it is certainly fo far dark. 0 believe the Ho- ly Ghoft, Prev. 26. i 2. [See/I thou a man wile in his own con- ceit ? there is a morehope ofa fool then of him.] For a meer fool that is ignorant only for want of teaching, hash no fuch prejt- dice againft the truth, as the felt-conceited have : Nor is it fo hard tomake him know that he is ignorant : nor yet to make him willing to Learn : He that knoweth hanfelf to be blind is willing to be led. Moreover the fell-conceited have much to unlearn, before they can be fit to receive the truth in a favingmanner. 0 how many thoufands are undone byfelf- .conceitednefs : It is this char keeps our Knowledge and every Grace, and confequently all true peace and comfort ; and it is this that defended) and cherifheth all fin. Let us fbew men the plain&word of God for duty and apinfl fin, and thew them the
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