And this the Scripture requires. 'Tis your Principle to deny your selves, your own honour, pleasure, profit, &c. for a public advantage, when your particular advantages stand in competition 1with the public: Now self must be laid by, and the public must carry the day. Oh but will a little grace enable a man to live up to this Principle? Woeful experience shows the contrary. I but now, take me a man that is rich in grace, and he will live up to this golden Principle, as you may see in Nehem. 5. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Nehemiah was a man eminent in grace, and he chooses rather to live upon his own Purse, then upon the public purse. Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their Governor in the Land of Judah, from the twentieth year, even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the King, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governor: Behold the former Governors that had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty Shekels of silver, yea, even their servants did bear rule over the people, but so did not I because of the fear of God; yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land, and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work. Moreover, there were at my Table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and Rulers, besides those that came in to us from among the Heathen: And yet for all this (saith he) I required not the bread of the Governor, because the bondage was heavy upon the people. Oh! here was a brave spirit indeed; he was far from enriching himself by others ruins, from emptying others Purses, to fill his own. But he is dead, and it seems this brave spirit is buried with him; there are few of his name, and fewer of his spirit (if any) in this world; and therefore well might he pray, Think upon me my God for good, according to all that I have done for this people: And accordingly God did think upon him for good, and made him very famous and glorious in his Generation. And that's a remarkable passage concerning Moses, Numb. 14. 12. to 21. I will smite ⟨p. 231⟩them with the Pestilence, and dis-inherit them, and will make of thee a great Nation, and mightier then they, saith God to Moses. Therefore let me alone to destroy them, and cut them off, for they are a rebellious Generation:
And this the Scripture requires. 'Tis your Principle to deny your selves, your own honour, pleasure, profit, &c. for a publick advantage, when your particular advantages stand in competition 1with the publick: Now selfe must be laid by, and the publick must carry the day. Oh but will a little grace inable a man to live up to this Principle? Wofull experience shewes the contrary. I but now, take me a man that is rich in grace, and he will live up to this golden Principle, as you may see in Nehem. 5. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Nehemiah was a man eminent in grace, and he chooses rather to live upon his owne Purse, then upon the publick purse. Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their Governour in the Land of Judah, from the twentieth year, even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the King, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governour: Behold the former Governours that had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty Sheckles of silver, yea, even their servants did bear rule over the people, but so did not I because of the fear of God; yea, also I continued in the worke of this wall, neither bought we any land, and all my servants were gathered thither unto the worke. Moreover, there were at my Table an hundred and fifty of the Jewes and Rulers, besides those that came in to us from among the Heathen: And yet for all this (saith he) I required not the bread of the Governour, because the bondage was heavy upon the people. Oh! here was a brave spirit indeed; he was far from inriching himselfe by others ruines, from emptying others Purses, to fill his owne. But he is dead, and it seemes this brave spirit is buried with him; there are few of his name, and fewer of his spirit (if any) in this world; and therefore well might he pray, Thinke upon me my God for good, according to all that I have done for this people: And accordingly God did think upon him for good, and made him very famous and glorious in his Generation. And that's a remarkable passage concerning Moses, Numb. 14. 12. to 21. I will smite ⟨p. 231⟩them with the Pestilence, and dis-inherite them, and will make of thee a great Nation, and mightier then they, saith God to Moses. Therefore let me alone to destroy them, and cut them off, for they are a rebellious Generation:
- 1'Tis a base & unworthy spirit for a man to make himself the Centre of all his actions. The very heathen man could say, A mans Country, and his friend, and others challenge a great part of him.'Tis a base & unworthy spirit for a man to make himselfe the Centre of all his actions. The very heathen man could say, A mans Countrey, and his friend, and others chalenge a great part of him.
