not lean to his own coniforts. As a ])hysician first bids liis patient cast off all others he hath tampered with, he asks what physic he hath had from them, takes oft' their plasters, and throws away their physic, and goes about the work de novo; so the Spirit, when he comes to comfort a poor soul, first persuades the soul to send away all its own physicians. O, saith the soul, I have been in the hand of such a duty, such a coiu-se of obedience, and have thought, sure now I shall be well, and have comfort now I do this duty, set upon such a holy course. Well, saitli the Spirit, if you will have me do an j thing, these must all be dismissed in point of confidence. Now, and not till now, is the soul a sub- ject fit to receive the Spirit's comforts. And therefore, friends, as you love your inv.ard peace, beware what vessel you draw your comfort from. Grace is finite, and so cannot atford much ; it is leaking, and so cannot hold long ; thou clrinkest in a riven dish that hast thy comforts froni thy grace. It is mixed, and so, weak ; and weak grace Ciinnot give strong consolation ; and such thou rieedest, especially in strong conflicts. Nay, lastly, thy comfort, which thou drawest from it, is stolen ; thou dost not come honestly by it ; and stolen com- forts Mall not thrive with thee. Oh, what folly is it for the child to play the thief for that which he may freely and more fully ha\e from his father, who gives and reproacheth not ! That comfort which thou wouldst filch out of thy own righteousness and duties, behold it is laid up for thee in Christ, from whose fulness thou mayest carry as much as thy faith can hold, and none to check thee. Yea, the more thou improvest Chi'ist for thy comfort, the more heartily welcome ; we are bid to ' open our mouth wide, and he will fill it.'
CHAPTER XI.
THE THIRD KIND OF SPIRITUAL PRIDE, VIZ. PRIDE OF PRIVILEGES.
The third kind of pride (spiritual pride I mean) is pride of privileges; with which these wicked spirits labour to blowup the Christian. To name three :- —
First, When God calls a person to some eminent place, or useth him to do some special piece of service.
Secondlj', When God honours a saint to sufi'er for his truth or cause.
Thirdly, When God flows in with more than ordinary manifestations of his love, and fills the sold with joy and comfort. These are privileges not equally dispensed to all ; and, therefore, where they are, Satan takes the advantage of assaulting such with pride. .
Section I.- — First, When God calls a person to some eminent place, or useth him to do some special piece of service. Indeed, it requires a great measure of grace to keep the heart low when the man stands high. The apostle, speaking how a minister of the gospel should be qualified, 1 Tim. iii. 6, saith, he must not be a ' novice,' or a young convert, ' lest he should be lifted up with pride, and fall into the condemnation of the devil.' As if he had said. This calling is honourable ; if he be not well ballasted with humility, a little gust from Satan will toss him into this sin. The seventy that Christ first sent out to preach the gospel, and prevailed so miraculously over Satan, even these, while they trod on the serpent's head, he tiu-ncd again, and had like to have stung them with pride ; which our Saviour perceived, when they returned in triumph, and told what great miracles they had wrought ; and therefore he takes them oft' that glorying, lest it should degenerate into vain-glory, and bids them ' not rejoice that devils were subject to them, but rather that their names were writ in heaven.' As if he had said. It is not the honour of your calling, and success of your ministry that will save you ; there shall be some cast to the devils, who shall then say, ' Lord, Lord, in thy name we have cast out devils :' and there- fore value not yourselves by that ; but rather evidence to your souls that ye are of mine elect ones, which will stand you more in stead at the great day than all this.
Section II. — A second privilege is, when God honours a person to sufl!"er for his truth : this is a great privilege. ' Unto you it is given, not only to believe, but to sufter for his sake.' God doth not use to give worthless gifts to his saints: there is some precioiisness in it which a carnal eye cannot see. Faith, you will say, is a great gift, but perseverance greater ; without which faith would be little worth ; and perseverance in sufi'ering, this above both honourable. This made John Careless, our English martj'r, (who, though he died not at the stake.
AGAIXST Sl'IKITUAL WIlKl.'JNESS. 149