PART III. of gracious A egions. 221 for the greater hia Convictions are, the more plain and evident i'C feems to be to him. And therefore it neceWarily feems to him fo plain and fo eafy to him to fee it, that it may be feen without much Conviction. That Man is under great Conviaions, whofe Convic- tion is great in Proportion to his Sin. But no Man that is truly un- der great Convictions, thinks his Conviction great in Proportion to his Sin. For if he does, 'tis a certain Sign that he inwardly thinks his Sins fmall. And if that be the Cafe, that is a certain 'Evidence that his Conviction is fmall. And this, by the Way, is the main Reafon,thatPerfons when under a Work of Humiliation, are not fen fible of it, in the Time of it. And as it is with Conviction of Sin, juft fo' it is, by Parity of Reafon, with Refpea to Perfon's Conviction or Senfiblenefs of their` own Meannefs and Vilenefs, their own Blindnefs, their own Impo- tence, and all that low Senfe that a Chriftian has of himfelf,' in the Exercife of evangelical Humiliation. So that in a high Degree of this, the Saints are never difpofed to think their Senfiblenefs of their own Meannefs, Filthinefs, Impotence, &c. to be great ; becaufe it never appears great to them, confidering the Caufe An eminent Saint is not apt to think himfelf eminent in any Thing ; all his Graces and Experiences are ready to appear to him to be comparatively final' ; but efpecially his Humility. There is nothing that appertains to chriftian Experience, and true Piety, that is fo much, out of his Sight as his Humility. He is a thoufandTimes' more quick flighted to difcern his Pride, than his Humility That he eafily difcerns, and is apt to take much Notice of, but hardly difcerns his Humility: On the contrary, the deluded Hypócrite,.'that is under the Power of fpiritual Pride, is fo blind to nothing'as his Pride ; and fo quick-fighted to nothing, as the Shews of Humility that are in him. The humble Chriftian is more apt to find Fault with his own Pride than with other Mens. He is apt to put the befl Conftruaion on other's Words and Behaviour,, and to think that none are fo' proud as himfelf. " But the proud Hypocrite is quick to difcern the Mote in his Brother's Eye, in this Refpect ; while he fees nothing of the Beam in his own. He is very often much in crying out of other's Pride, finding Fault with other's Apparel and Way of'Living; and is af£etcd ten Times as much with his Neighbour's Ringor Ribband, as with all the Filthinefs of his own Heart. From the Difpofition there is inHypocrites to thinkhighly of their Humility, it comes to pals that counterfeit Humility is forward to put forth it fell to view. Thofe that have it, are apt to be much in fpeaking of their Humiliations, and to let them forth in high Terms, and to make a great outward Shew of Humility, in affected Looks, Geflures or Manner of Speech, orMeannefs of Apparel,or fome affec- tedSingularity. So it was ofold with the falle Prophets, Zech. 13. 4. So it was with the hypocritical ews, h ai, 57. 5. And fo Chriff: tells
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