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What hast thou (saith the Apostle) that thou hast not received? And if thou have received it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?' 1 Cor. iv. 7. There are those who would draw out their own happiness, like the spider, by a thread of their own spinning. Of all the learning and abilities that you possess, you may say as the young man did of his hatchet, · Alas Master! for it was borrowed.' Alas Lord! all I have is but borrowed from that fountain which fills all the vessels in heaven* and on earth, and overflows: my gifts are not so much mine, as thine, Of thine own have we offered unto thee,' said that princely prophet, 1 Chron. xxix. 14.

Rem. 2. Solemnly consider, that men by leaning upon, and trusting to their own abilities, have proved their own utter ruin; as you may see in Ahitophel, and those presidents and princes who engaged against Daniel, and in the Scribes and Pharisees. God loves to confute the boasting of men; he that stands upon his learning and abilities, stands upon a quick-sand that will certainly fail him. There is nothing in the world that so provokes God to withdraw from the soul, as this: and how can a soul stand,

• Whatsoever thou art, thou owest to him that made thee, and whatsoever thou hast, thou owest to him that redeemed thee.-BERN.

† General councils were seldom successful, because men came with confidence, leaning to their own understanding, and seeking for victory, rather than for the truth, saith one.

when his strength is departed from him? Every thing that a man leans upon but God, will be a dart that will certainly pierce his heart through and through. Ah! how many in these days have lost their estates, their friends, their lives, their souls, by leaning upon that admired learning and abilities? The saints are described by their leaning upon their beloved, the Lord Jesus, Cant. viii. 5. He that leans only upon the bosom of Christ, lives the highest, safest, and sweetest life. Misery and great danger always lie at that man's door, who leans upon any thing below the precious bosom of Christ: and his greatest danger is, that he thinks himself secure. It is the greatest wisdom in the world to take the wise man's counsel: Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not to thine own understanding,' Prov. iii. 5.

Rem. 3. Consider, that you do not transcend others more in abilities, than they do you in grace and holiness. There may be, and often are, great parts and shining abilities, where there is but little or no grace; and there may be, and often is, a great deal of grace, where there are but weak abilities. You may be higher than others in gifts of knowledge, utterance, learning, &c. and those very souls may be high

Judas, and the Scribes and Pharisees, had great abilities, but no grace. The disciples had grace, but weak abilities.

er than you in their communion with God, heavenly delights, humble dependence, holy affections, and in holy and unblameable walking before God. Is it not folly and madness in a man to despise another, because he is not so rich as he is in lead or iron, when at the same time he is a thousand times richer in silver, gold, jewels, and pearls? And is it not madness and folly with a witness, in those who have greater parts, and more extensive abilities than others, to despise them upon that account, when those very persons whom they despise, have a thousand times more grace than they? And yet how doth this evil spirit prevail in the world?

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It was the sad complaint of Austine in his time, The unlearned (saith he) rise up, and take heaven by violence, and we with all our learning are thrust down to hell.' It is sad to see how many of the rabbies of these times, do make an idol of their learning and abilities; and with what pride, scorn, and contempt, they look upon those who want their learning, and who worship not the idol which they have set up in their own hearts. Paul, the great Apostle of the Gentiles, did wonderfully transcend in all learning and abilities, the doctors and rabbies of our times, and yet how humbly, how tenderly, did he carry himself towards the meanest and the weakest? To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak, I

am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.' But how little of this amiable spirit is found in the doctors of our age, who look sourly, and speak bitterly against those who do not see as they see, nor cannot speak as they speak. Sirs, the spirit of the Lord (even in despised saints) will be too hard for you; and his appearance in them, in these latter days, will be so full of spiritual beauty, and glory, as to darken what you are too ready to call your glory. The spirit of the Lord will not suffer his choicest jewel, grace, always to be buried under the straw and stubble of learning. Is. lx. 12-17.

Rem. 4. Consider, that there is no such way for men to have their gifts and parts blasted and withered, as to pride themselves in them, and rest upon them, to make light of, and slight those who want them, and engage themselves against those persons, ways, and things that Jesus Christ hath set his heart upon. Ah! how hath God blasted and withered the gifts and abilities of many among us, who once were famous shining lights?* How is their glory

• Becanus saith, That the tree of knowledge bears many leaves, and little fruit. Ah! that it were not so with many in our days, who once seemed to out-shine the stars.

clouded? "How is the sword of the Lord upon their arm, and upon their right eye? How is their arm clean dried up, and their right eye utterly darkened?' Zech. xi. 17. As the Prophet speaks. This is matter of humiliation and lamentation; many precious discerning saints see this, and in secret mourn for it; and oh! that they themselves were deeply sensible of God's absence from them, that they might repent and be humbled, and carry it better towards God's jewels, and lean only upon the Lord, and not upon their parts and understanding, that the Lord may delight to visit them with his grace, so that their faces may shine more gloriously than ever, and that they may be more serviceable to the honour of Christ, and the faith of the saints, than ever they were.

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CHAPTER IV.

Satan hath his Devices to hurt the saints, and one great Device that he hath to hurt them, is,

BY tempting them to be strange, and then to divide,* and then to be bitter and jealous; and

* If we knock wę break. Dissolution is the daughter of dissention.

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