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1
THE ADVANTAGES
OF
HV1%
SLITY.
tSEC?.
1V.
tion and
the mischief.
Even
the old idol
at
Rome
with
all
his
infallibility and
thunder
could scarcely demand
more
sovereignty over
our
belief
than
the positive men
of
our
age even
in
the land of liberty.
But
to
proceed.
.
What
is
it
but
our
pride
that
breaks
in
upon the discourse of many
a
wiser person than
our-
selves
?
We are impatient
to set
forth our
own
talent
of
talking, and
at
the
same time to publish
our
arrogance
and
shame,
and perhaps our
nonsense too.
Truth
and
merit
are often
modest,
while
ignorance and
folly
sound
their trumpet,
and the brass
will
make
itself
heard
while
gold and
jewels
shine
in
silence.
Again,
What
is
it
but
this fulness
of
self that
makes
persons
so
unable to bear the least
contradiction,
even
in
the
common
affairs
of
life
?
They
grow
pale
with
anger,
or
kindle into rage
when any
of their sentiments
are op-
posed
;
they
feel
the inward
ferment
working
and
boiling
up
when
their neighbour dares
to
be
of another
mind
:
And it
is
seldom
that
they
have
power
or
inclination to
conceal
their resentment
:
It
generally
boils
over
at
their
lips
and betrays the secret
fire.
Some
passionate
speech,
some wrathful
word or other
breaks
from
their tongue
and
gives
notice
of
their impatience and
high
displea-
sure.
What
is
all this
but
the
fruit of
pride and
self-
sufficiency.
If
men had
a
lower
esteem
of
themselves, they would
not
always
maintain
such
a
full
assurance
that
truth and
justice
are ever
on
their
side.
By
this assuming behavi-
our
they forbid
all
instruction,
they stop
all
the avenues
of
reason and knowledge,
by
which
further
light might
enter
into their souls and
rectify any
mistaken sentiment,
There
is
no man
lies so
far
out
of the road
of
illumine-
tio;:i
and
true
wisdom, as he
that
is
already
very
sure
his
opinions are
all sun-beams
;
Prov.
xxvi.
1
Z.
"
Seest
thou a
man
wise in
his own
conceit,
there
is
more hope
of
a
fool than
of
hirn."
It
is
with
secret pleasure
and
/inward
esteem
that
I
have
often read
those four
lines which
that
excellent man
doctor
John
Owen wrote
under
his own
effigies.
'
Umbra refert
fragiles
dederint
quas
cura
dolorgire
Reliquias, studiis assiduusque
labor,
Meutem
hu1nilem
sacri servantem
limina veri
N'otis
supplicibus
qui
dedit,
ille videz."