If a man have need
of charity from his brother, let him not be hard in giving it. If he know
his own weakness and frailty, sure he may suppose such a thing may likely
fall out that he may be tempted and succumb in it. For there needs nothing
for the bringing forth of sin in any but occasion and temptation, as the
bringing of fire near gunpowder. And truly he who had no allowance of love
to give to an infirm and weak brother, he will be in _mala fide_, in an
evil capacity, to seek what he would not give. Now the fountain of
uncharitable and harsh dealing is imported in the 3d verse, "If any man
thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself."
Since all mortal men are nothing, vanity, altogether vanity, and less than
vanity, he that would seem something, and seems so to himself, deludes
himself. Hence is our insulting fierceness, hence our supercilious rigour.
Every man apprehends some excellency in himself beyond another. Take away
pride, and charity shall enter, and modesty shall be its companion. But
now we mock ourselves, and deceive ourselves, by building the weight of
our pretended zeal upon such a vain and rotten foundation, as a gross
practical fundamental lie of self conceit of nothing. Now the Apostle
furnishes us with an excellent remedy against this in the 4th verse, "Let
a man prove himself and his own work, and then he shall have rejoicing in
himself alone, and not in another."--a word worthy to be fastened by the
Master of assemblies in the heart of all Christians! And indeed this nail
driven in would drive out all conceit. Hence is our ruin, that we compare
ourselves among ourselves, and in so doing we are not wise, 2 Cor. x. 12.
For we know not our own true value. Only we raise the price according to
the market, so to speak. We measure ourselves by another man's measure,
and build up our estimation upon the disesteem of others, and how much
others displease, so much we please ourselves. But, says the Apostle, let
every man prove his own work, search his own conscience, compare himself
to the perfect rule; and then, if he find all well, he may indeed glory of
himself. But that which thou hast by comparison with others is not thine
own. Thou must come down from all such advantages of ground, if thou would
have thy just measure. And indeed, if thou prove thyself and thy work
after this manner, thou wilt be the first to reprove thyself, thou shalt
have that glory due unto thee, that is no