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FOLLY OF PARTIAL OR INVIDIOUS COMPARISONS.

SERMON LVI.

THE FOLLY OF PARTIAL OR INVIDIOUS
COMPARISONS.

2 CORINTHIANS X. 12.

But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

THE greatest prophet under the Old Testament, and the greatest preacher under the New, laboured under those bodily infirmities which might hide pride from them, and lead both them and others to ascribe all their success to God. Moses was not eloquent; and as for the apostle Paul, his bodily presence was weak, and his speech contemptible, yet his letters were powerful, and the sentences that dropped both from his lips and pen, were weighty and profound. Such is that which now falls under our consideration, in which we have a judgment passed, and a description of the persons upon whom it is passed.

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I. A judgment passed: they are not wise. They may "Ye are the men,' think themselves so, no doubt. Job to his friends, " and wisdom shall die with you;" and they may be reputed such by others, but they are not really so. They have not that natural wisdom they pretend to, and are entirely destitute of spiritual wisdom; they neither think nor act wisely. More, however, is here implied than expressed. They are fools; they act a very senseless part; and their conduct betrays a want of understanding. Sinners are often called fools in Scripture, and

they will one day call themselves so.

Here we may ob

serve, that those are oftentimes most void of wisdom who make the greatest pretences to it. Hence that rule of the apostle, "If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise."

II. The persons upon whom the judgment is passed,— and they are of two sorts.

1. Those that measure themselves by themselves; that is, whose peace and satisfaction of mind arises from a comparison drawn between their former and present temper, attainments, and conduct. Once they were totally ignorant of the mysteries of religion, but now they are enlightened into the great things of God; and as they are firmly attached to, so they zealously contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Once they lived in the total neglect of their duty, and indulged themselves in all manner of vicious excesses; but now they are reformed, just, honest, and temperate, and give every one their due but God; and wherein they are defective in this respect, they rely upon his goodness and mercy, and hope he will take the will for the deed. Once they were had in no reputation, but now they are highly esteemed by the godly, and have a fair moral character among all sorts of men. Once they were alarmed at their danger, their own hearts reproached them, God's word condemned them, and they had a fearful expectation of that wrath and indignation which will consume the adversary; but now they are as comfortable as they were formerly distressed, a wonderful change has been wrought both in their inward feelings and outward conversation, and therefore they think it must be a saving change. Because they are not what once they were, they imagine they are what they ought to be; or though in many things they fall short, they hope that all will be well at last. Now these are they who, measuring themselves by themselves, are not wise. Let such remember that there may be an illumination without regeneration, and a change of moral

good things may take place, and yet one thing be wanting, which want, if unsupplied in this world, will be their utter ruin in the next. Let them call to mind how far the Scribes and Pharisees went in the externals of religion, and yet fell short of heaven; and that the joy with which the stony-ground hearers received the word, did not prevent their defection in the time of trial. Some who are greatly changed have need of a further and much greater change; and without it will be ruined for ever.

2. Those who compare themselves among themselves; and this they may do three ways.

(1.) They may compare themselves with those who are really, or reputedly, worse than themselves. Such the Pharisee thought the Publican to be, and therefore says, “God, I thank thee I am not as other men are, nor even as this Publican;" and this is the case of many now: when conscience accuses them of being bad, they presently think of some that are worse; or when their friends reprove them for their wicked practices, they say others are worse than we; I swear a little, he much; I break the Sabbath now and then, he often; I get drunk once or twice a week, he every day. This is as if a man should say, "I am going to hell, it is true, but such an one is going faster than I;" or, as if a man who will have a statute taken out against him next week, should exult over another because his name is in the list of bankrupts to-day. Those that are not so bad as others through restraining grace, yet will be as miserable as others without converting grace.

And

(2.) With those that are better than themselves. here we are very apt to do one or other of these two things: First, We take a view only of their outside, and then we despise them, as Michal did David when dancing before the ark; but we do not see that beauty of holiness which is stamped upon their souls, -the glory of the Lord filling the temple of the heart. We look at their infirmities more than their excellencies, and at our own excellencies more than our infirmities. Then it is no matter of wonder that we draw

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wrong conclusions both with respect to ourselves and them. How many take notice of Noah's drunkenness, and David's adultery; but neither of the one's close walking with God, nor of the other's lively and fervent devotion. They mark the saints' daily failings, their warm passions, and unguarded expressions when they are overcome by some powerful temptation, or entangled by some prevailing corruption; but they do not see their brokenness of heart on account of these things, their secret mournings before God, and renewals again to repentance. With their flesh they serve the law of sin, and herein all carnal men are like them; but with their mind, as the apostle expresses it, they serve the law of God, and herein they bear no resemblance to them. Though there may be many defects in the outward conversation, the king's daughter is all glorious within; the outward deformity they see, but they do not come near enough to see the inward excellency and beauty.

Secondly, If we cannot but discern a difference, we are apt to think that that difference is not with respect to the essence of grace and religion, but only the degree. Nothing is more common than for hypocrites and formal professors, when they see others to be more intelligent, upright, holy, and watchful, than themselves, yet to think that their hearts are as good, though their conduct be not quite so regular; and that though those excel them, yet they themselves are sound Christians, and have the root of the matter in them, and that the others are only more highly favoured of God, and have made greater advances in the divine life than they. "We are stars," say they, "though not of the first magnitude; and scholars in the school of Christ, though not in the highest class." Though what they take to be gold is but brass, yet they will have it to be gold; still differing from that of others, not essentially, but in degree. I might have added, that they compare themselves not with Christians in an healthy and vigorous state, but with those who are sickly and declining; and thus draw those inferences which may lull them into a soft and easy sleep at present, but will prove a source of inexpressible anguish another day.

good things may take place, and yet one thing be wanting, which want, if unsupplied in this world, will be their utter ruin in the next. Let them call to mind how far the Scribes and Pharisees went in the externals of religion, and yet fell short of heaven; and that the joy with which the stony-ground hearers received the word, did not prevent their defection in the time of trial. Some who are greatly changed have need of a further and much greater change; and without it will be ruined for ever.

2. Those who compare themselves among themselves: and this they may do three ways.

(1.) They may compare themselves with those who are really, or reputedly, worse than themselves. Such the Pharisee thought the Publican to be, and therefore says,

God, I thank thee I am not as other men are, nor even as this Publican;" and this is the case of many now: when conscience accuses them of being bad, they presently think of some that are worse; or when their friends reprove them for their wicked practices, they say others are worse than we; I swear a little, he much; I break the Sabbath now and then, he often; I get drunk once or twice a week, he every day. This is as if a man should say, ́ ́ I am going to hell, it is true, but such an one is going faster than I;" or, as if a man who will have a statute taken out against him next week, should exult over another because his name is in the list of bankrupts to-day. Those that are not so bad as others through restraining grace, yet will be as miserable as others without converting grace.

(2.) With those that are better than themselves. And here we are very apt to do one or other of these two things: First, We take a view only of their outside, and then we despise them, as Michal did David when dancing before the ark; but we do not see that beauty of holiness which is stamped upon their souls, -the glory of the Lord filling the temple of the heart. We look at their infirmities more than their excellencies, and at our own excellencies more than our infirmities. Then it is no matter of wonder that we draw

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