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Knowing how anxious the troops in Cabul would look for their letters, Captain (afterwards Sir Henry) Lawrence and his wife — because the Government could not afford a post-clerk! — would sit up half the night sorting them, after the multiform duties of revenue collector, engineer, commissariat officer, and pay. master, had been discharged. But this was only one instance out of many of Lawrence's exquisite regard for others.

(H. A. Page.)Be not wise in your own conceits. —

I. AS TO RATIONAL WISDOM OR KNOWLEDGE.

1. Of natural causes.

(1)  You know not the first constitution of them (Job 38:4-6).

(2)  Nor God's present disposal of them (Acts 17:28).

(3)  Nor their own working and nature.

2. Future events (James 4:13, 14.)

(1)  You know not the causes that must concur to produce them.

(2)  Nor whether God will set them on work or no, or hinder them (James 4:15; 1 Corinthians 4:19).

3. The providences of God (Psalm 139:5, 6).

(1)  To the evil (Psalm 73:3, 22).

(2)  To the good.

4. The intrigues of state (Proverbs 20:3).

5. The spiritual estate of others (Matthew 7:1).

(1)  You know not your own condition (1 Corinthians 2:11).

(2)  There is no way in the world whereby to know others.

6. The interpretation of Scripture (Mark 12:24).

(1)  Prophecies (Acts 8:30, 31).

(2)  Mysteries (Romans 11:33).

(3)  Difficult places (2 Peter 3:15, 16).

7. Determination of theological controversies.

8. Be not then wise in your own conceits.

(1)  It is a sin (Isaiah 5:21; Proverbs 3:7).

(2)  You are not wise (Job 11:12).

(3)  This will hinder you from true wisdom (Proverbs 26:12).But —

(1)  Have low thoughts of your own knowledge.

(2)  Labour each day to know more —

(a)  Of God;

(b)  Of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:2).

II. AS TO PRACTICAL WISDOM.

1. Wherein?

(1)  We must not conceit ourselves to be saints (1 Timothy 1:15; Isaiah 65:5; Luke 18:11).

(2)  Nor that we are holier than others.

(3)  Nor that we perform duties aright.

(a)  Beading the Scripture.

(b)  Praying (James 4:3).

(c)  Hearing (Acts 2:37).

(d)  Mediation (Philippians 3:20).

(4) Nor that we exercise graces aright.

(a)  Repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). We may repent of some sins, not of all: and our repentance in proportional to none of our sins.

(b)  Faith. It may be only historical, or partial (John 1:12), or upon wrong grounds — education, not Divine testimony (1 John 5:10), or, not on Christ only (Philippians 3:8, 9).

(c)  Love. We do not love God with all our hearts (Matthew 22:37), nor constantly.

(d)  Trust. It may be only for spirituals (1 Peter 5:7), and not with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5).

(e)  Thankful-nest. Not proportional to our mercies, or not for all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

(f)  Charity. It may be from wrong principles (Matthew 6.), or in a wrong manner (Romans 12:8).

2. Why not thus conceited of ourselves?

(1)  We know not our own hearts (Jeremiah 17:9).

(2)  We are too apt to have too high thoughts of ourselves.

(3)  This will keep us from looking after true holiness.

3. Uses: Be not wise in your own conceits.

(1)  Many have been mistaken (Matthew 7:22).

(2)  The less holy you are, the more you are apt to conceit yourselves to be so.

(3)  These conceits of holiness are not consistent with true grace (James 4:6).

(4)  Therefore, so long as you conceit yourselves to be holy, you may conclude yourselves to be sinful.

(5)  You shall not be judged by your own conceits, but by the law of God.

4. Directions.

(1)  Oft consult your own hearts (Psalm 4:4).

(2)  Compare your actions with God's laws.

(3)  Still remember what a fearful thing it is to be mistaken in a thing of this weight.

(Bp. Beveridge.)

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KJV: Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

WEB: Be of the same mind one toward another. Don't set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don't be wise in your own conceits.