Signs of Pride in matters of ~ligio11. DiJ!.uil)' than at the Duty; and at what the people owe to them, than what t~ey owe to God ::m~ to the people. They _arc: like dogs ~hat fnarl at any o.thcr that would partake wnh them, or come mro the houfe. They fay not as M•{<J, would all the Lords people were prophets. Yea the peace and unity of Church and ft~te is often tiacriticed to this curfed .pride. . . . . 9. 42 . Sign 12. PrJdc: makes men afhamed of the ferviCe of God, m a tune and place where tt ts Sign 12. difgraced by the world ; and if it have dominion, Chrifl and holin<fs !hall be denyed or forfaken by them, rather than their honour \fith men lhJII be forfaken. Jf they come to Jefus, it is as Nic,Jdtmm did, by night : They are afhamed to own a reproached truth, or fcomed caufc, or fervant of Chriil: If mc:n will but mock them with the nick-names oi calumnies hatcht in Hell, they will do as ot!H rs, or forbear their duty : A fcorn will do more to rriake them forbear praying in their families 10 God, tha11 the Lyons den would do with 'Daniel, or the fiery-furnace with the three Confcffors V•"· 3· C' 6. Efpecially if they be perfons of honaw and grwmfi in the world, then God mu1i be merciml to them while they bow down in the houft: ofRimmon: As the Rich man,Luke 18.23. when he heard Chrit1s terms, wM vtry forrowful, for he W.H v&ry rich; fo theft: becallfc their honours and di<>ni:ies "' fo great, do think them too good to kt go for the fake of Chrifl: Had they but the proPf~tion of the obfcure vulgar to lay down, they could forfake ir; but they cannot forfak·e fo fair a portion nor endure the reproach of (o honourable a name. But 0 ~hat contemptible things are thde to'a humble foul? He,marvelleth what dreaming worldlings find, in the doting thoughts and breath of fools, which mc:n call Honour, th.a.t they iliouJd prefer it before the honour of God, and their real honour: When Chrill hath told !hem, Mark 8. 38. That who{never jhaU be ajhamed of hitrt and his n:ordJ, in a1t adulteroiH a1td fmfitl· generation, of him alfo jhaU. the Son of man. be ajhamed, n·lu11 be cometb in tbe glory of bu F•thcr with bil holy Ange!J. I now proceed to the figns of Pride in particubr durie!~ 'ibe Signs of Pride in andabostl Religiom dutiu. ~. 43. Sign 1. A Proud petfon is mofl follicitous in and about t . art of duty _lfhich is, vifibieto Sign r. , _ m,m 1 and. tendeth to advance h1m m men1 cfteem: And there[! e IS more regardful of the outfide Hhrt~oqu~[o.. than of [he infirle; of theWf:Jr{/J than of the heart. He take. l 'pains if he be~ .preacher, to can qu~~d~rmi~li~: his {fnnon into fuch a form as rendeth to fct forth his rdmg to the qualHy of them rh~ eUm vidt;ohe would pkafe : If he Jive where wit is valued ab e, or ped.antick gingling abbvi:: a fblid, /::fttlrilo m,..;; dear, judicious, mafculine difcourfe, he bends him he humour of his auditors, and ad'i his 'u'!~i{ur.~11th~~ /' ' plrt as a Hage-player for applau{C : If he live w re ferious carndl exhortations .are in more reqlleil, mll1!at.e.'~d14.:.'r he Hudieth to put an affected fervency into his tlile, which m1y make the hearers believe that h~ be- Chr;(luwt 121J~. litves himfelf, and to feern to be what indeed he is not, and to feel what he fedcth not; But all this ~:!n;~11 q~~;:while about his Heart he is little fo!licitous; and takes [mall p.;tins to af(ect it wU:b the Iever~nce of co;ntr.;_•-r.in& /ll(f~ God, and wirh a due eHimation of his rruth, and a due cornpaffion of.mens fouls, and indeed to rum 'liJtM q:~:1m. .A~ believe and feel what he would feem to believe and feel. Sv alfo in prayer and difcourfe, his chief v;:bor~m ~;~. · ~ ·· ttudy is to !peak fo as may belt procure applaufc: And it is tetdom that he is fo c;Linning as to hide~~;.~~~... ' this his dcfign from the obfervation of judicioy$ men that know him: They may ufually perceive rUdit(~,.·~,: > · that he is the ImaJ!_e of a Preacher or Chrifiian, by affectation forcing himfelf to that which he is not .. ·~ ' . truly ferious in: He is founding brafs; a tinkling Cymbal; a bladder full of wind; a skin ful1 9f ' words; wifi! and devout in pnblick on "the liage, but at home , and with his coffip~nions in his ordi.;: nary converfe, he is but conmJOit if not unclean: He is the admiration of fools, and the cornparrwn of the wife : An Orade ;tt the firfi cbngrefs ro thofe that know him not, and the pity of thofe that have fc:en him at home, and without his mask: He is like proud Gentlewomen that bellow a gnat part of the morning, in mundifying and adorning thernfelves when they are to be feen, and go abroad, but at home arc very homely. And ufual!y the Proud bting Hypocritu are fe~.ret haters of the mofi: f~rious, and jud~cious Chriftians; bec1ufe thefe are more quick-jighted thoui'others, to fee through the cloak of thetr Hypocrific: Unlefs as their Chariry confiraining .them to conceal their fears ind jeaIou{ies, may reconcile the Hypocrite to them. · ?· 44· Sign 2· Proud men art apt to.put on tbem{tvrs to any publici(. duty which may tcna to mag- Sign 2· • nilie them or fet out thcu pans; and thtnk themfelvcs fitter Jo .be preferred before others, and irn– ployed, than indeed they are. Thty are forward to fpeak in,preaching or pray,in~ among o~.hers, or Non pc.t~tl in ordinary talk: A little knowledge maketh them think that they arc tit to be preachers: Whereas the no.n indoB.us humble fay with Mo[u, wbo am I that Ijhou!dgo umoPlnr.aoh) &:· Exod,. 3, ll· I am not t]pqpcnt, ~~~u~~,~ccdir. bm flow of[prech :-- 0 my Lord, fend r pray th" by the ha>td of btm whom thou wilt fend, £xod. 4· Hmn.,,E,nba, 'JO) I3· Or as Ifauh 16. 5· l?u "M me, fur I 11m undone, bcc•Hfo I am tJ ma1"l of Hnflean lip1, &c. oi: as ms. l'aul, 2 Cor. z, 16. Wbo i1 fuffidenl f"' tbefe thjnp l How many a Sermon hath Pride botb !lu'died aod preached? And how many a prayer hath it fo1med' And bow well are they 1ike to be heard of God? · ~· 45· Sign 3· The Proud are loath. to b:: clordcdby ~he greater abiliti~s of others: They are con· Sign 3· rent that JVe..lb[r •:1u1 prJy or preach w1r~1 them, that will not obfcure but put off their par(s, rh~t they Piill)' !:urh. (In mJy have the prencmmtnce; as a dwart that makes another ftcm a proper man: They are Ic:fs trou.bled commendmg that God and the Gofpel is difhonoured by the intirmirics, in(ufliciencie and faults of others, th:m t'hat d~;~~~~le~f whcm you commend ii eitTtcr f>~perior or ir.ferior t::> )'01.1 : !f he be inferior,if he Oe to be comm.ended then yOu much m~;eh~ ;[~0h:~e fu1,erior, if he be not to bccommtnJed, then you much le[!. U rd B~(Oll EJj:r;;. S4· p~. 1~. ' · · ihtir
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=