Heaven upon earth, or, The best friend in the worst of times. Delivered in…

Secondly, we must be ware lest in our esteem of our selves, we lay the foundation of our glory in our selves. There is that in every ones corrupt nature which doth provoke him to it: so that I dare boldly say, that there is not a man in his corrupt natural state, who doth not some way or other lift up himself in his own esteem for something of his own. And we are apt to make every spiritual excellency to be matter for pride and self-conceitedness. We do not sufficiently eye God as the Fountain, the Author, the Foundation, the Rule and Pattern of all our Excellency. Such is the way wherein God receiveth man to acquaintance with himself, that he might hide pride from his eyes, and that no flesh might glory in his presence, 1 Cor. 1.29. If we therefore lay the foundation of our glory in our selves, and please our selves in the sparks that we have kindled, we shall glory in our shame, and lie down in sorrow. This high esteem which we are to have of ⟨p. 45⟩our selves, because of our acquaintance with God, it doth not at all contradict that precious grace of humility, but they rather help forward one another; for the more any esteems of himself, because of that relation which he hath to God, the less is the esteem of himself, because of any thing of his own; the more we make God the matter of our glory, the less do we glory in our selves. The more we apprehend of our Excellency, being from God, the less account do we make of all other seeming Excellencies. When the light of the Sun ariseth, then all Star-light disappears.

Secondly, we must be ware lest in our esteem of our selves, we lay the foundation of our glory in our selves. There is that in every ones corrupt nature which doth provoke him to it: so that I dare boldly say, that there is not a man in his corrupt natural state, who doth not some way or other lift up himself in his own esteem for somthing of his own. And we are apt to make every spiritual excellency to be matter for pride and self-conceitedness. We do not sufficiently eye God as the Fountain, the Author, the Foundation, the Rule and Pattern of all our Excellency. Such is the way wherein God receiveth man to acquaintance with himself, that he might hide pride from his eyes, and that no flesh might glory in his presence, 1 Cor. 1.29. If we therefore lay the foundation of our glory in our selves, and please our selves in the sparks that we have kindled, we shall glory in our shame, and lie down in sorrow. This high esteem which we are to have of