Page images
PDF
EPUB

under Obligation as to the acts of the Underftanding, but that all Obligation begins there.

Having thus clear'd the way by the Proof of this Preparatory Pofition, that we are under Obligation as to the acts of the Understanding in general, I may now proceed to confider that our opinion of our felves is one of those acts of the Understanding which are fubject to Law, or in other terms, that we are not at our own liberty to entertain what Opinions we please concerning our felves, but that we ought to regulate them by fome Standard. Now the general reafon of this is, becaufe 'tis of great moment and influence in relation to our Practice, what Opinion we entertain concerning our felves. Indeed there are many acts of the Understanding which tho originally free, yet fall under no Obligation by reafon of the Indifferency of the Matter, as in things of pure and naked. Speculation. Thefe are the unforbidden Trees of the Garden, and here we may let loose the Reins and indulge our thoughts the full Scope. Thus there is no danger of Herefy in afferting or denying the Antipodes, nor is Orthodoxy concern'd whether the Moon be habitable. But altho to mistake a Star be of no confequence to the Theorist that fits immured in his Study, yet it may be to the Pilot that is to Steer his Courfe by it. There are other things which

have

have a practical Afpect, and here 'tis not in different what we think, because 'tis not indifferent what we do. Now among these the Opinion of our felves is to be reckon'd, as having a great influence upon our well or ill demeaning our felves refpectively, as will more minutely and particularly appear when we come in the third and laft place to confider the abfurdities and ill confequences of trangreffing the Standard prescribed, and therefore I fhall defer the farther profecution of it till then and in the mean while proceed to the fecond Obfervable, Namely,

That the Standard whereby we are to regulate our Opinions concerning our felves, are thofe excellencies and perfections which we are really indow'd with. Which is collected from these words, according as God has dealt to every man the meaSure of Faith.

In the former part of the Text there was indeed a Reftraint laid upon our Opinions concerning our felves, but it was general only and indefinite. But here the ground is meafured out, and the Boundaries precifely fet. MiTeorists, that's the great Ecliptic Line which is to bound the Career of our moft forward and Self-indulging Opinions. If we keep within this compass our motion is natural and regu

lar,

lar, but if we flide never fo little out of it, 'tis unnatural and portentous. Or to speak with greater Simplicity, he that judges of himself according to thofe excellencies, whether Moral or Intellectual, which he really has, does TAY HIS TO OWPROVED, thinks foberly, and he that thinks himself indow'd with any Kind or Degree of Excellence which really he has not,does e võv mag” i di oggver, thinks of himself more highly than he ought to think.

Here then are Two things to be confidered.

First that we may proceed fo far as this Standard.

And Secondly, That we may not go yond it.

Firft, That we may proceed fo far.

[ocr errors]

be

It has been taught by fome of the fevere Mafters of Spiritual Mortification, That we ought to take up the most low and abject thoughts of our felves that are poffible to be confci ous of no manner of excellency in our felves, and confequently not to be affected with the least Self-complacency That we ought to ac count our felves to be. Nothing to have not thing, to be worth nothing, but to be very refufe

[ocr errors]

4

1

[ocr errors]

1 Cor. 4.13. refuse and off-fcouring of all things. And this they call the Mystical Death, or the Spiritual Annihilation. Now whatever degrees of excellency this may have (which I fhall not now difpute), 'tis moft certain it can have nothing of Duty. For tho it may, and oftentimes is required of a man to think the Truth, yet he can never be under an Obligation to be miftaken. Befides, 'Tis hard to conceive how any man (efpecially one that dwels much with himself, and heedfully reflects upon the actings of his own mind) fhould be master of any confiderable excellency, and yet not be confcious of it. And befides, That very degree of Attention which is required that a man should not think himself more accomplish'd than indeed he is, will alfo infallibly hinder him from thinking he is lefs. 'Tis true indeed Mofes knew not that his Face fhone, after he had been converfing with God on the Mount. He faw not the Orb of glory that ftream'd from him, and wondred what it was that made him fo dreadful to the people. But 'tis not fo with the Soul, whofe reflexive faculty will not fail to give her information of her moft retir'd and referv'd accomplishments. 'Tis not with the Leffer, as with the Greater World, where whole Tracts and Regions (and thofe fome of the beft too) ly undiscover'd. No,

man

Man cannot be fuch a Stranger to his own Perfections, fuch an America to himself. For who can know the things of a man, if not the Spirit of man which is in him. And accordingly we find that the Ignorance of our felves with which Mankind has been hitherto fo univerfally tax'd, runs quite in another Chanel, and does not confift in overlooking any of those indowments which we have, but in affuming to our felves thofe which we have not.

I confefs (were it poffible) I fhould think it adviseable for fome perfons to be ignorant of fome of their excellencies, and like the Sun not to reflect home to their own Sphere of light; Not that I think in the leaft unlawful to be fully confcious of ones own worth, but only I confider that fome men have not heads ftrong enough to indure Heights, and walk upon Spires and Pinnacles. But if they can stand there without growing vertiginous, they need not question the lawfulness of the station, they are ftill within the Region of Humility. For 'tis not every thinking well of ones felf that falls in with the notion of Pride, but only when there is more of Opinion than there is of Worth. 'Twas this that was the Condemnation of the Apoftate Angel, not that he took a juft complacency in the eminency of his Station, but that he vainly arrogated to himfelf what was not his due, in that he said, I C

will

« PreviousContinue »