Bates - BT766 B3 1699

Spiritual Per ficclion. true Glory Ends : and his Humility ends when his Shame begins. In the depraved Nature of Man, Pride is the Radical Reigning Sin , that firfi Lives and lafs; Dies. 'Tis called the Pride of Lifé. Pride fprings up in the Heart ofa Child, and continues to extreme Age. Other Vices have their Seafons, which being expir'd they wither and decay. Carnal pleafures change their Natures, Eccf.' . and become diffaffful ; but Pride flow rifhes and grows in every Age. Now 'tis ufually in vain to give Counfels of Wifdom to thole who are funk into Folly, the proper Seafon is to Inftruet and Caution, when it may be preventive of Folly. The difficulty of the Cure is increas'd, in that like a Heaic Feaver 'tis not ea- fily difcerned till 'tis almoff incurable. Some Vices are odious from the vifible matter of them , Intemperance , Un- eleannefs, and Injuffice, by defrauding and oppreffing others ; but Pride is often excited and drawn forth by the farne things wherein Vertues are exercifed and diffinguifhedonly by the end, which is often concealed from our own fight. The Pharifee is a fignal Inflance of this. A Man may vifibly defpife the Pomp and Vanities of the World, and this may Rife his effeem in the minds of real aints

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