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CHAP. VIII.

Concerning the DUTY of MAN towards HIMSELF.

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I

HUMILITY.

Say to every Man that is among you, 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.

Be not proud. Mind not high Things. Be not wife in your own Conceits, but condefcend to Men of low Eftate.

Stretch not yourselves beyond your Measure.

Let us not be defirous of vain Glory: For if a Man think himself to be fomething when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

e Seekeft thou great Things for thyself? seek them not.

f Moft Men will proclaim every Man his own Goodnefs: But they that commend themselves, meafuring themfelves by themfelves, and com

b Jer. 13. 15. Rom. 12. 16. c 2 Cor.

a Rom. 12. 3. 10. 14. d. Gal. 5. 26. Prov. 20. 6.

2 Cor. 10. 12.

Gal. 6. 3.

e¶ Jer. 45. 5.

paring

paring themselves among themselves, are not wife: For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

Thus faith the Lord; Let not the wife Man glory in his Wifdom; neither let the mighty Man glory in his Might; let not the rich Man glory in his Riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this, That he knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercife Loving-kindness, Judgment, and Righteoufnefs, in the Earth.

h He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord, ferving the Lord with all Humility of Mind.

Let another Man praife thee, and not thine own Mouth; a Stranger, and not thine own Lips. For Men to fearch their own Glory, is not Glory.

Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what haft thou that thou didst 'not receive? Now if thou didft receive it, why doft thou glory as if thou hadft not received it?

m

Charity vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up: Therefore talk no more fo exceeding proudly; let not Arrogancy come out of thy Mouth.

Let not him that girdeth on his Harness, boaft as he that putteth it off.

• There are certain which truft in themselves that they are righteous, and defpife others; which

2 Cor. 10. 18. 20. 19.

8 Jer. 9. 23, 24.

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i Prov. 27. 2. * Prov. 25. 27. 1 I Cor.

4.7. m 1 Cor. 13. 4. 1 Sam. 2. 3. Luke 18. 9. Ma. 65. 5.

M 4

I Cor. 1. 31. A&s

1 Kings 20. 11.

fay,

fay, Stand by thyfelf, come not near to us, for we are holier than thou: But he that doth not go about to establish his own Righteousness, but humbleth himself before God, faying, God be merciful to me a Sinner; this Man shall be justified rather than the other.

When ye thall have done all thofe Things which are commanded you, fay, We are unprofitable Servants; we have done that which was our Duty to do.

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Knowledge puffeth up, but Charity edifieth. • Let no Man deceive himself: If any Man among you feemeth to be wife in this World, let him become a Fool, that he may be wife For God hath chofen the foolish Things of this World, to confound the Wife; and God hath chofen the weak Things of the World to confound the Things which are mighty; and bafe Things of the World, and Things which are defpifed, hath God chofen; yea, and Things which are not, to bring to nought Things that are; that no Flefh fhould glory in his Prefence.

Go to, ye that fay, To-day or To-morrow we will go into fuch a City, and continue there a Year, and buy, and fell, and get Gain; whereas ye know not what fhall be on the Morrow: For what is your Life? It is even a Vapour, which appeareth for a little Time, and then vanifheth away. For that ye ought to fay, If the Lord will, we fhall live, and do this or that; but now ye rejoice in your Boaftings, all fuch rejoicing is Evil.

Rom. 10. 3.

Luke 18. 14, 13, 14.
SI Cor. 3. 18.

1 Cor. 8. 1.
James 4. 13, 14, 15, 16.

9. Luke 17. 10. 1 Cor. 1, 27, 28, 29.

Charge

"Charge them that are rich in this World, that they be not high-minded, nor truft in uncertain Riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all Things to enjoy.

w When thou haft eaten, and art full, and haft built goodly Houfes: and when thy Herds and thy Flocks multiply, and thy Silver and thy Gold is multiplied; beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God; and thy Heart be lifted up, and thou fay in thine Heart, My Power, and the Might of my Hand, hath gotten me this Wealth.

* Let the Brother of low Degree rejoice in that he is exalted; but the Rich in that he is made low; because as the Flower of the Grafs he fhall pass away.

A certain rich Man faid to his Soul, Soul, thou haft much Goods laid up for many Years, take thine Eafe, eat, drink, and be merry. But God faid unto him, Thou Fool, this Night thy Soul fhall be required of thee: Then whofe fhall thofe Things be which thou haft provided? So is he that layeth up Treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.

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Lo, this is the Man that made not God his Strength, but trusted in the Abundance of his Riches, and ftrengthened himself in his Wickednefs.

f

He faith, I am rich, and increafed with Goods, and have need of nothing; and knoweth not that he is wretched, and miferable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

u 1 Tim. 6. 17. * James 1. 9, 10. 5.2. 7.

w Deut. 8. 12, 13, 11, 14, 17. Z Pfal.

y Luke 12. 16, 19, 20, 21.

a Rev. 3. 17.

M 5

Why

Why boafteft thou thyfelf in Mischief, O mighty Man? The Goodness of God endureth continually.

• The Wicked boafteth of his Heart's Defire: Through the Pride of his Countenance he will not feek after God. He hath faid in his Heart, I fhall not be moved; I fhall never be in Adverfity. But the Lord fhall cut off all flattering Lips, and the Tongue that speaketh proud Things.

God will punish the ftout Heart of the Con queror, and the Glory of his high Looks; whe faith, I have removed the Bounds of the People, and have put down the Inhabitants like a valiant Man. By the Strength of my Hand I have done it; and by my Wisdom, for I am prudent. Shall the Ax boaft itself against him that heweth therewith? Or fhall the Saw magnify itfelf against him that shaketh it? Or fhall the Staff lift up itself, as if it were no Wood? Therefore fhall the Lord of Hofts lop the Bough with Terror; and the high Ones of Stature fhall be hewn down, and the Haughty fhall be humbled.

• God refifteth the Proud, but giveth Grace unto the Humble; fubmit yourselves therefore to God: Humble yourfelves in the Sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

f Learn of me, (faith our Saviour) for I am meek and lowly in Heart; and ye shall find Rest unto your Souls.

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