f:,piritual PerfeClion. orhcrs do POt exprtfs eminent r.efpeas to them,_'tis re~enre~ as anegleB: ·and injury. Their Apparel ac firft made eo htde Shame, proclatms thetr Pnde. 2. An inordtnate de fire of Reputation and Pratfe, IS another branch of Pride. The d eflre of Prai fe is fowed in the Humane N rt mre for excellent ends; to reflain them from thofc alluri ng Lufls that will ruin their Reputation, and to excite them to do things noble and beneficial to the l'ublick. Praife, the reward of doin~ good, is a eowerful incentiv.G to tmprove and fccure the Civil Pehct~Y·. 1 he w1ft: Kmg tells us, A good JV~tme iJ rather to h~ cho[tn th.:n great Richu. Tts a recompt:nce God has promifed 7hc "frig ht [h.!/ b, prai[ed. ' The ApJllJe excites us to fhive after univerfal Holinefs, by mot ives from Reputation as well as from Confc~ence; "flhat/oever thin~s are true, for Confcience, honejl, for ~a,e, rvh•t[oever t~re !"fl and pr~re, for C?nfcJeoce, JVbat/otver Are lovrly, for Eft eem, if ~bere be '"'.J 'l. 'trtne tn ()ur {elvrs, And praife from others, to propaga te ir, think on the{e thtn?_s. But rbe infhmed defire of praife fro~ men, the being iocens'd agaiofi others as cnv~ous or enem ies that deny ir, the arfummg it for unworthy Caufes, (where there is no true Virtue, then: is no jufl Praife) the terminating it on our felvc::s, and not rranf.. ft: rriog it ro God, are the effe~s of a vainglorious Mind~ Pride undervalues Goodnefs in it !elf, and refpet1s it only for the fh adow that attends it. Praife is a Mufick fo inchaming, that ir inclines ~en to believe that to ~e true which is pJeafiog, and which they de fire others fhculd be!teve to be true. A P!Jtlofopher, when a Box of Ointment of precious Compoficio~ was prefented to him, feeling his Spirits reviv'd with its Fra.. grancy. broke forth wtth indignation again it thofe Effeminate perfans that perfume , their Hair and Ha bits wirh it for vicious ends, and made the ufe of ic difgracefuJ. But when praife, that is fo fweet and powerful a motive to encourage generous Minds to the exploitS of Virtue, is beftowed on worthlefs perfi•ns, 'tis more dcteftable. The poifonous flowers of falfe pra1fe are pernicious ro rhofe who are deceiv,d and pJeas'd wirh them. 'Tis the infelicity of thofe who are in rhe highelt dignity, to whom 'us uneafie to defcend into themfeJves, and take a fincere fe ~ious view of their internal State and to whomTruth is harfh and difpleafing, they are in great danger of being Corru'pted by Flatrerers. Flattery is the familiar figure of thofe who Addrefs to Princes: Sometimes by line Fraud and unfufpeCied Artifice they give the Countenance of Truth to a Lye, in reprefeming them to excel tn Wtfdom and Venue. liur 1f Pnnces be fo vaing-lorious that mod era te praif~ is efieem'd a J di~inurion to their Greamefs, ~n.d only the firongeft perfumes alfeCi thetr Senfe, they wtll reprefent them as half Detttes, as fecond Suns to the World. ,'Twas the judicious _obftrvacion of Galba in hiS Difcourfe_ with Pifo, whom he dtfign d to be IJts Succctfor m the Emptre of Romt. Wt /p<Ak w11h Jimpli&itJ ~t~~f£E: ~:::,n ,jJ':{:~v~:~::~ :~i~~::llad~:~;~:·~o'~:~o:r:::~~r;h::dw~;n:fi/;;{o((:blc ~~ '''~~'"'."~; _u- be dece ived by Flatterers, who are ltke Concave·Glalfes, that reprefent fmaii Objects in ~;.:,. 1;~~~:'. an exorbitant Figur e : They wil1 feed the Humours of thofe upon, "':ham. they depend, "'a~~· ,,,m and fpeak things pleafing to them, and profitable to themfelves. TJS thetr fu rell fecu• ;;::~';.-,.~~- rity to remember, tha t Flatterers b:we a double Tongue, and fpeak with one tO them, apd with ano ther of them. In fhort, Vercue like the Sun is crown'd with its own Beams, and needs no foreign l.uftre; and it argues a found Mind to elleem Prai(C as a refu_ltance from Vertue, and Vert ut for it felf: But a proud Man as proud, prefers the pratfe and fhadow of Venue before the reality: As a vain \Voman would rather wear a coumerfdt Necklace that is ell:eem'd rrue, that one of the fine.ll Oriental Pearls that is efieem'd counterfe it. 3· Ambition, or the hot afpiring after high Places, and Titles of Precedency and Power, is another branch of Pride. The de fire of Superiority in this inftance, is fa natural and univcrfal, that 'cis manifelt in Perfons of the Jowell Ran k: .)ervants, F~ir.,1Ji~osni- Sl1epherds, Labourers, defire Power over mhers in their condition. 'Tisli ke Fire, the "' 14 [tflmta.~ , more 'ris fed, the more 'ris increas'd. Ambition, if reinforc'd by Emulation, will venture ;;;:~:;;~7i:~ t hrough foul ways, by Treachery, by Oppreffion, and by Indignities, to obtain Dignity. "'· •' "' " If any crofs accident fpoil their Feathers of flying to their mark, they fall into Melan. ;,::::.'"'$~~·· ~~~r.: ~~. a~~v~~rmindit~~rt~n!;h;~r~~d;a~~·r th~~r:a:xd ~~a~rhz::~ nd0:fe~;r~;k~~ ::::i::::!.~ ~;~[,' o~h~~;.tuoate; according to the two Properties of Pride, to exalt themfelves, and de· • dtptus.Tac 1. Spiritual Pride is·diftingui!h'd from Moral, as it more direCily and immediately di!honours God. 'Tis true, Pride is the Poifon of every Sin ; for in tran(~reffing the Dt· vine Law, Men prefer the pleafing their corrupt Wills and depraved Appetites, before the obeying the fovereign and holy Will of God : But in fomc Sins there is a more i~~~~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=