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in reality, Gnostics. For as 'tis (ingeniously obferved by the excellent Cartefius)nothing is more Differt. de equally diftributed among men than the Intel- Method. p. 1. lectual Talent, wherewith every one fancies himfelf fo abundantly stockt, that even those who have the most unfatiable Defires, and whom Providence could not fatisfy in any one thing elfe, are notwithstanding as to this Difpenfation of Heaven well enough content, complain not of the dull Planet that influenc'd their Nativity, or wish their minds more richly endow'd than they are. And altho there are a generation of men who use to be very eloquent in setting out the degeneracy of humane nature in general, and particularly in decyphering the Shortnefs of our Intellectual Sight, and the defects of our now diminifb'd understanding, yet should a man take them at their word, and apply that Verdict to themselves in particular which they fo freely beftow upon the whole Species, no men in the world fo full of refentment and impatience as they; and I dare affirm notwithstanding their Harangues upon the Corruption of Human Nature, could all mankind lay a true claim to that Eftimate which they pass upon themselves, there would be little or no difference betwixt laps'd and perfect Humanity, and God might again review his image with pa ternal Complacency, and ftill pronounce it good,

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Nor is it at all to be wonder'd that SelfConceitedness fhould be of fuch an unlimited and Tranfcendental Nature as to run through all Sorts and Claffes of men, fince the cause of it, Self-love, has fuch an univerfal Jurif diction in our hearts. "Tis moft natural and neceffary for every man (and indeed for every Intelligent Being) to be a Lover of himfelf, and to covet whatsoever any way tends to the perfection of his Nature. And as 'tis neceffary for every man to be thus affected towards himself, fo is this the only Difpofition of mind wherein Man acts with Conftancy and Uniformity. Our other Paffions have fometimes their total intermiffions, and at best their increases and decreases, but this is allways at Full, and ftands drawn out to the utmost Stretch of its Capacity. No man loves himself more at one time then at another, and that because he allways loves himself in the highest Degree that is poffible. More than all good he cannot wish to himself, and less than all he will not, nay I had allmost pronounc'd it impoffible for Omnipotence it felf which stays the proud waves of the Ocean, and blocks its violent up efforts with barrs and doors, to fay unto this Paffion, hitherto fhalt thou come but no further, or to fet any other bounds to it befides those of all poffible good.

Now

Now Man being fuch an infinite Lover of himself, is easily brought to believe that he is. really Master of many of those excellencies and perfections, which he fo paffionately wishes among the Inventory of his poffeffions. For there is this notorious difference betwixt Selflove and the Love of others, that whereas the Love of others Supposes an opinion of their excellency, the love of our felves begets it. We love others because we think well of them, but (fo prepofterous is the method of Self-love) we think well of our felves because we first love our felves. So that now upon the whole, confidering how neceffarily and vehemently every man is carried on to the love of himself, and what a natural product Self-conceit is of Self-love,'tis much to be fear'd,that as we cannot fet any bounds to the love of our felves, fo we fhall hardly fet due ones to our Opinions of our felves, and confequently the moft mortify'd and refign'd Man of us all, has no reason to think himself unconcern'd in this Admonition of the Apostle. Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think foberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of Faith.

'Tis fuppofed that the Apostle in these words had refpect to the then prevailing Herefy of Gnostics, a fort of men that pretended to great Down Heights

Dr.Hammord

Heights, of divine Knowledge, to clofe intimacies and familiarities with God, and upon that prefumption grew fo haughty and infolent as to defpife dominions, and speak evil of dignities, and withal fo careless and fecure, as to defile the flesh, and indulge themselves all manner of Senfuality, as you may fee their Character in the Epiftle of St. Jude. Nay of fuch turbulent ungovernable Principles and profligate manners were thefe men, that fome of the Learned (and particularly an eminent Divine of our own Church) have adventured to write upon their Fore-heads, Mystery, and to place them in the Chair of Anti-Christ. As an Antidote therefore against this Poison, the 2 Cor. 12.7. Apostle who through the Abundance of Revelation had himself been in danger of being exalted above Measure, and experimentally knew how prone humane nature is to fwell and plume upon a Conceit of its own excellencies, thought it expedient to advise his Charge at Rome (the lib. 2. c. 3. place which Simon Magus the Author of that proud Sect had (as Eufebius tells us) made choice of to be the Scene of his Magical Ope rations) to moderate and fober thoughts of themselves, and being to teach them a Leffon of Humility, he modeftly ushers it in with a Preface of his Commission and Authority, For I fay (fays he) through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly, &c.

Hist. Ecclef.

The

2

The Difcourfe which I defign upon thefe words fhall be comprized within these limits.

First, I obferve that we are not at our own fiberty to entertain what Opinions we please concerning our felves, but that we ought to regulate them by fome Standard. Which I collect from the former part of the Text, Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think foberly.

Secondly, I obferve that the Standard whereby we are to regulate our Opinions concern-ing our felves are thofe excellencies and perfections which we are really indow'd with,which I collect from the latter part of the Text, ac cording as God has dealt to every man the measure of Faith.

And in the third place I fhall confider the Abfurdities and ill Confequences of tranfgreffing. this Standard, whereby it fhall appear how highly reasonable this Admonition of the Apostle is, and fo conclude with a practical Application of the whole in relation to our felves, and the prefent occafion..

I begin with the firft Propofition, That we are not at our own liberty to entertain what Opinions we please concerning our felves, but that we

ought

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