574 Spiritual PerfeUion. ~er~~e~~nt;.u~a~~. c~~!a:~o: ~:~~ro:t~~ ~r~h~~~~;~;!::::~~~~~~~,~~;l t~r ~~,f·~m;fg Public•n. 'Tts true, he fuperficially thanks God, but the air of Pride tr;nfpires throu~h his Devotion, by valuing himfelf above othe~s worfe than himfelf; as tf his own Ver. tues were the produ8tve caufe of hiS dt!hngm!hmg Goodnefs. If Humility be not mix'd in the exercife of ev.ery Grace, 'tis of no value in God's elleem: The humble unjull Pub. /tea. was rather )Uiltlied than the proud Ph.rifre. This l[>iritual Pride is very obfervable in .the fuperllitious, who meafuring Divine Thmgs wtth Humane, from that mtxture of tmagmanons, Introduce carnal Rites into ~fll~~rt~~Pn~~l~~:·of~d ;:~~fyt~oerm~~lf~n~f.~~:~':};h,0~~Jo~::}~~~t~~:r2v~s ;oh~~ more holy ~ban others,. f?r their proud lingularity. Superllition is like Ivy, that twines about the free, and IS tts feemmg ornament, but drams Its vital Sap ; and under its verdant_ L~a_ves covers a Car_cafs: Thus carnal_ ~eremo~ies. feem to adorn Religion, bm really dtfplflt, and weal<en tts efficacy. Phanfatcal Pnde IS fomen ted by a zealous ob. fervance of things uncommanded in. Relig;ion, neither pl eafi ng to God, nor profitable ·to Men. On the contrary, Come Vtfionanes pretend to fuch a fubhmity of Grace and eminent San8ity, that they are above the ufe of Divine Ordinances : They pretend to live in immediate Communion with God, as the Angels ; and dazled with fpecious Spiraualities1 they_ ne&leCl Prayer,. hearing , the W~rd, and receiying the .sacrament, the means of growmg tn Grace, as tf they were arnved at Perfe810n. ThiS is the effect of fpiritual Pride and Delufion. . For the mortify in~ this vicious Difpofition, confider that Pride is in a high degree tnJUnous and provokm~ to God. A~ ordmary Malefa8or breaks the King's Laws, but a Rebelllnl<es at lus Perfon and Crown. The firll and great Commandment is to ~~~r.~·~~~~ ~:~~ ~~~a~~~h~?n ~~~~~ ~~Prifn~v~is t'~e ~~e. ~~:otr~~f~/h~~r~;~~y: There is no Sin more clearly oppofite to Reafon and Religion: For the moll elfential duty and chara8er of an under/landing Creature, is dependance and obfervance of God as the firll caufe and !aft end of all things, receiving with thankfulnefs his Benefits· and referring them all to his Glory. Pride contradi8s natural J ullice, by intercepting the grateful affe8ionate afcent of the Soul to God, in celebrating his Greatnefs and Goodnefs. A proud Man con!lru8ively puts himfelf out of the number of God's Creatures, and deferves to be exclud~d fro~ his ·tender Pr?vidence. The Jealoufy of God, his moll fevere and fenfible Attrtbute, lS kmdled for tlus revolture of the Creature from its Duty, and the depriving him of his proper Glory. 'Tis true, God's declara. tive Glory is not profitable to him: But he will not give his Glory to another, nor permit another to ufurp it : his Conceffion and Confent would be directly contrary to the Eternal Rule of ' Righteoufnefs, and thorefore impoffible without the denial of himfelf. Pride is in the Front of thofe Sins which God hates, and are an Abomination to him : Pmv. 6. <6. A pro11J look, that is feldom disjoin'd from a proud Heart. God looks upon the proud afar off with a holy Difdain: He refills the Proud. Pride is the moll pernicious of all Vices: for whereas any lingle Vice is oppofite to its contrary Vertue: Uncleannefs expelsCha· flity; CovetoufiJCfs, Liberality; Pride, like an infectious Difeafe, taints the found parts, Corrupts the AB:ions of every Vertue, and deprives them of their true Grace and Glory. Pride is [o offenfive to God, that he fometimes permits his Children to fall into fins of anot her kind to correa Pride. And he is an unskilful Phyfician that Cures one·Difeafe by a worfi:. When tltc Apo!lle was li able to the temptation of Pride, for his Celefiial Vifions, Satan was permitted to buffet him. A llrange Difpenfation, that the Prince of Pride was let loofe to inllrua him in Humility. The fearful Examples of God's Wrath upon the Proud, moll convincing ly prove how odious they are in his light. The Angels fell by Pride, and are the moll cu·rfed creatures of the Creation, and bound with Chains of Darknefi to the Judgment of the Great Day. Adam was lick of the fame Difeafe, which involv'd him and his Progeny under the Sen· rence of the firll and fecond Death. How many great Kings, for the infolent forgerfulnds of their frail Condition, were by Divine Vengeance call down from the heighth of their Glory, and made (pe8acles of ignominious Mifery! The proud and llubborn Ph•· ~;;;,;~~t? d:~~;dti~~=a~~~:~~fu P~•~f,;~~d~/fo:~,;:;;,'/;;;u~;:t;;,i!{,;:; .. t;<!;ili~ ;;~:: ~ea th3t roars, and foams; and fwells, threatning_ to drown the Lan~; but when '~is c?me f~ ~~v~~~~~~~t~:i ~:~~~:spr~~~~ ~i~~ ~~t;a~·~fb~sF~~~; a~drFt'i~;~:~d~~~;:aJ;;,~,~;~·:;:~ h!S
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