1. Peace is the Effect of Charity. 1. Common, S. Jam. iv. 1. 2. Proper to each Perfon, S. Luk. xxi. 19. V. Mind not high Things. Mù tà &fnλæ pegvõvles. 1. What high Things? 1. Negatively. Not the higheft or heavenly Things, Col. iii. 1, 2. S. Matth. vi. 33. 2. Pofitively. Of this World, Jer. xlv. 5. 1. Great Riches, 1 Tim. vi. 9. 2. Great Honours. Great Power and Place, Act. v. 36. 3. 4. Great Employments. 5. Great Pleasures. 2. How not mind them? esrares. So Coloff. iii. 2. φενετε. Not fo, 1. As to think of them, Pfal. i. 2. 2. To desire them, Coloff. iii. 2. Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. 3. To hope for them. 4. To admire them, S. Luk. xxi. 5, 6. 5. To labour after them, S. Joh. vi. 27. S. Matth. vi. 33. 3. Why not mind them? 1. They are below you. 1. As ye are rational Creatures. 2. As believing Chriftians. 2. You have higher Things to mind, Phil. iii. 20. 3. Minding of Earth and Heaven both, is inconfiftent, S. Matth. vi. 24. I S. Joh. i i. 15. USE USE. Mind not high Things. 1. They are uncertain. 2. Unconftant, Prov. xxiii. 5. I. ROM. xii. 16. Be not wife in your own Conceits. S to rational Wisdom or Knowledge. 1. As Ꭺ 1. You know not the first Conftitution of them, Job xxxviii. 4, 5, 6. 2. Nor GOD's prefent Difpofal of them, Act. xvii. 28. 3. Nor their own Working and Nature. 2. Future Events, S. Jam. iv. 13, 14. 1. You know not the Causes that must concur to produce them. 2. Nor whether GOD will fet them on Work or no, or hinder them, S. Jam, iv. 15. 1 Cor. iv. 19. 3. The Providences of GOD, Pfal. cxxxix. 5, 6. 1. To the Evil, Pfal. Ixxiii. 3, 22. 2. To the Good. 4. The Intrigues of State, Prov. XX. 3. 5. The fpiritual Estate of others, S. Matth. vii. 1. E 3 1. You 1. You know not your own Condition, 1 Cor. ii. II. 2. There is no way in the World whereby to know others. 6. The Interpretation of Scripture, S. Mar. xii. 24. 1. Prophecies, A&t. viii. 30, 31. 3. Difficult Places, 2 S. Pet. iii. 15, 16. 7. Determination of Theological Controverfies. USE. Be not Wife in your own Conceits. 1. It is a Sin, Ifa. v. 21. Prov. iii. 7. 3. This will hinder you from true Wisdom, Prov. xxvi. 12. DIRECTIONS. 1. Have low Thoughts of your own Knowledge. 2. Labour each Day to know more, 1. Of GOD. 2. Of Chrift, 1 Cor. ii. 2. II. As to practical Wisdom. 1. Wherein? 1. We must not conceit ourselves to be Saints, 1 Tim. i. 15. Ifa. lxv. 5. S. Luk.. xviii. I. 2. Nor that we are holier than others. 3. Nor that we perform Duties aright. 4. Nor that we exercise Graces aright. 1. Repentance, 2 Cor. vii. 10. 1. We may repent of fome Sins, not of all. 2. Our Repentance is proportional to none of our Sins. 2. Faith. 1. It may be only Hiftorical. 2. Partial, receiving only Part of Jefus Chrift, S. Joh. i. 12, 3. Upon wrong Grounds, Education, not Divine Teftimony, 1 S. Job, V. 10. 4. Not on Christ only, Phil. iii. 8, 9. 3. Love. 1. We do not love GOD with all our Hearts, S. Matth. xxii. 37. 1. It may be only for Spirituals, 1 S. Per. v. 7. 2. Not with all our Heart, Prov. iii. 5. 5. Thankfulness. 1. Not proportional to our Mercies. 2. Nor for all Things, 1 Theff. v. 18. 6. Charity. 1. It may be from wrong Principles, S. Matth. vi, 1. 2. In a wrong Manner, Rom. xii. 8. 2. Why not thus conceited of ourselves? 1. We know not our own Hearts, Jer. xvii. 9. 2. We are too apt to have too high Thoughts of ourselves. 3. This will keep us from looking after true Holinefs. U'S E S Be not Wife in your own Conceits. 1. Many have been mistaken, S. Matth. vii. 22. 2. The lefs Holy you are, the more you are apt to conceit yourfelves to be fo. 3. These Conceits of Holinefs are not confiftent with true Grace, S. Jam. iv. 6. 4. Therefore, fo long as you conceit yourselves to be holy, you may conclude yourselves to be finful. 5. You fhall not be judged by your own Conceits, but by the Law of GOD. DIRECTIONS. 1. Oft confult your own Hearts, Pfal. iv. 4. 2. Compare your Actions with GOD's Laws. 3. Still remember what a fearful Thing it is to. be mistaken in a Thing of this Weight. ROM2 |