An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

Fifthly, That pride may be cured and hid from your eyes, I advise, That in the midst of your fullness, you would think of your emptiness, and in the midst of your perfections, of your deficiencies; think how much, and in how many things you are wanting, when any thought of pride ariseth concerning what you enjoy, or wherein you abound. He that thinks how much he is wanting, will not be proud how much soever be aboundeth; and indeed our wantings being a great deal more then our aboundings, and our imperfections then our perfections, should be to us greater matter of humbling, then our abounding or perfections can be an occasion of pride. To clear this further, Consider your deficiencies two ways; First, in your selves; consider how low you are in knowledge, how low in grace, how low in duty; remember that there is a great deal of darkness in the best of your light, a great deal of water in the best of your wine, and a great deal of dross in the purest of your silver; remember these weaknesses in your selves, and then say as blessed Paul (Phil: 5.22.) I count not that I have already attained; that is, that I have attained perfection, I am very much behind, very much below my duty, I am below what I might be and have attained to, both in the light of knowledge, and in the strength of grace. I am below what I might be attained to, both as to zeal for, and as to faith in God. O how many are our deficiencies when we have profited most! Secondly, Consider your deficiencies in reference to others; The Apostle saith (2 Cor: 10.12.) They who compare themselves with themselves are not wise. The reason why many think themselves over-wise, is, because they do not (as they ought) compare themselves with others, or if they compare themselves with others, ⟨p. 324⟩they compare themselves only with those that are below, not with those who are above themselves. They who compare themselves with themselves, or with those only who are below themselves, are not wise, though they think themselves very wise. If we would compare our selves with other men, who are above us, it would mightily keep down the pride of our spirits; for who is there but might see more in some, yea in many others then in himself? Now, as it is an excellent means to keep the soul from murmuring and discontent, to consider that many others are below us;

Fifthly, That pride may be cured and hid from your eyes, I advise, That in the midst of your fullness, you would think of your emptiness, and in the midst of your perfections, of your deficiencies; think how much, and in how many things you are wanting, when any thought of pride ariseth concerning what you enjoy, or wherein you abound. He that thinks how much he is wanting, will not be proud how much soever be aboundeth; and indeed our wantings being a great deale more then our aboundings, and our imperfections then our perfections, should be to us greater matter of humbling, then our abounding or perfections can be an occasion of pride. To cleare this further, Consider your deficiencies two wayes; First, in your selves; consider how low you are in knowledge, how low in grace, how low in duty; remember that there is a great deale of darkness in the best of your light, a great deale of water in the best of your wine, and a great deale of dross in the purest of your silver; remember these weaknesses in your selves, and then say as blessed Paul (Phil: 5.22.) I count not that I have already attained; that is, that I have attained perfection, I am very much behinde, very much below my duty, I am below what I might be and have attained to, both in the light of knowledge, and in the strength of grace. I am below what I might be attained to, both as to zeale for, and as to faith in God. O how many are our deficiencies when we have profited most! Secondly, Consider your deficiencies in reference to others; The Apostle saith (2 Cor: 10.12.) They who compare themselves with themselves are not wise. The reason why many think themselves over-wise, is, because they do not (as they ought) compare themselves with others, or if they compare themselves with others,