S~ns of Pride ill mat(crs of r.RJI~ion. their glury is obfcured by worthier men, though God be honoured and his work promorcd. Where- , as the humbled perfon wi!heth from the bottom of his heart, that all the Lords pcopk were Prophets. that all men could preach, and pray, and difcourfe, and live much better than he doth himtelf ( though he would alfo be as good as they_). He is glad when he he~reth any (peak more judicioufly, powerfully and convmcmgly than he, reJoycmg that Gods work IS done, whoever do it: for he lov~.-rh wifdom and Holinefs, Truth and duty, not only bccaufc it is hid ow», bur for it feifand for God and for the.fo~tlt of others. _A Proud man envieth both the parts, and work, and honour of others; And is li~e the De~!l, repmmg at the g1~ts of God ; and r_he better and wifer any one j 5 the more he envieth hun: ,He 15 an enemy to the fruits of Gods beneficence; as if he would have God Jefs GoQd and bount~ful to. th~ world? or t~ any_but himfdf, a~d fuch as will ferve his party and in~ teretl and ~onour wnh their glfrs : H1s ty_e ts evtl bec~ufe_God IS_GOt:d. If others be berter fpoken of than htmfelf as tTlorc learned, able, Wtfe or holy, tt kmdleth m hts breafi a fc:cret hatred of them unlefs they arc fuch whofc: honour is his honour, or contributeth thereto: Whereas the holy humbl~ foul, is [orry that he wants what others have, but glad that others have what he wants. He Joveth Gods gifts where-ever he teeth them ; yea thoUgh it were in one that hauth him: He would not have the world to be ihut up in a perpetual night, becaufe he may not be the Sun; but would have them receive that by another whicp he cannot give them, and is glad that they have a Sun though it be not he: Though fome preached Chriti of c:iwy and firife, of contention and not fincerely, to add afllicti~ ons to his bonds, yet Pa11l rcjoyced, and would rejoyce, that Chrili was preached: Phi/. 1 • , 5 , IO, ,,, IS. • 9· 46. Sign 4· When \he Proud man is praying or preaching his eye is principally upon the bearcrr and from them it is thi.t his wurk is animated, and from them _that he fetcherh principally the fire 0 ; motives of his zeal : He isthinking principally of their cafe, and all the while tifhing for their love and approbation and applaufe :· And where he cannot have it, the tire of his zeal goeth out : \Vhere~ as though the bumble, fubordinately look at men, and would do all to editicadon, yet it is not to be Loved by them fo much as to exercife Love upon them; nor to feek for honour and clleem from them fo much as to convert and fave them ; And it is God that he chieAy eyLth, and regardeth; and from him that he fetches his rnofi powerful motives; and it is his approbation that he expecteth ; His eye and heart is fo upon the auditors as to be more upon God: He would feed the fl1ecp ; but would pleafe the Lord and Owner of.them. 9· 47· Sign. 5· A Proud man after hi< duty is more inquiGtive how he WlS liksJ by men, and what they tbi11k,. or fay of him, than whether God and Confciencc give: him their approbation : He hath his fcouts to tell him whether he be honoured or dillionoured : T his is the return of pfayer that he looks' 3.fter: This is the fruit of preaching which he feeks to reap: But thefe are inconfiderable rhingo; to a ferious humble foul : He hath God to plea[e; his work to do ; an'd fets not much by humane judgement. • • nt$. 9· 48. Sign 6. A Proud man is more trozt~led when _he perceiverh that hCis undervaluedand mi.lTcrh ~'f:.m Al~:r. of the honour which he fou~~t! than that hts preach m~ fucceeds nor (~r th~ [?OOd of fouls, or his ftrom. J. 1 . CA· prayers·prevail not for their ipm~ual good : Ever>:_ man 1s mojf ~roubled for mlflmg t~1at whi~h is his Ait Fideli end: To do good and get good IS the end of the hncere,and thiS he leoks atrcr,1nd r<:Joycech 1f he ob~ Chr~llia~odo· rain it, and is troubled if he m itS i-t: T o fcem good, and wifl, a;zd able is the Proud mans end: And cenu ;ffi un•- if the people honour tlirn, it puflS him up with gladnefs, as it he were a happy man : And if they ~~dito~e~.ere jligh-,· him or de[pi{e hirh, he is catl down, or cafi into fome turbulent paffion, and falls a hating or Sign 7· SignS. wrangling with them that deny him the honour he expects, as if they did him a hainous wrong: As if a Phyftcion fhould want both skill and care to cure his patients; ~ut hatcth and revdc-th them, bC– Ciufe th~y prefer another t~at is abler, and will not die to fecure his honour, or magnifie his skill for killing' their friends. The l'roud mans honour is his Life and Idol. \~·;'49• Sign j. The Heart df theProud is not enclmcd to humbli1tg dutirs; to penitent confdrior.s and lamentations for fin, and earncfi prayer for grace and pudon t but unto fome formal obf~rvanccs and Jif-tabour, or thC Pharifccs fdf-applaufc, I thank..tbee that I am not af other mtn, nor 11r :bi1 Pub~ lica'n : Nut but that the humblejl have great caufe to ble[S God for their fpiritual mercies, and his dif– ferencing grace: But the ~ro~~ th~nk ~od for that whic~ t~~y h.lVe H()t ? for fanGliJi~ation, when they are unfanctified; and for JUfitticauon when they are unJUil!hed ; and for the affured hope of Glory, when they are fure tobe damned if t_!Jey be not changed by renewing grace ; a•d for being made the heirs of HeaverYwhile they continue the heirs of Hell : And therefore th> proud are leall afraid of coming without rig~t or preparation to the facrament o f the Body and blood of Chrill : T hey rulb in with confident prefumption: when the humble foul IS trembling wrthout, as bemg oft more f<:a~- . ful to enter than it ought. 9· 50. Sign 8. Proud perfons are of all others the ~ofl impatient of Chttrcb·difciplitte, and uncap;ble of living under the Govemment of Chirft. If they fm, they can fcarce endure the genrleH admoni– tion : But if they are reprovtd jharply ( or cuttingly ) that they ttJay br fvttnd in thr faith, you fhall perceive that they [mart by their impatience. But if you proceed to more publick.. rrpto,Jf and adrnJ– Hition, and call them to an open confefling of their fin~ to thofc whom they h:1vc wronged) or be– fore the Congregation, and to ask forgivenefs, and fenoufly crave the prayers of the Church, you lhall then f« the power of Pride againtt the ordinance and commands of God 1 How fcornfnlly will they fpurn at t~efe reproofs and exhortations? How obfiinatcly will they rdUfi: t? fub~it ro their unquefiionahle duty ? And how hardly arc they bro~ght to canfc.:fs the mo_ll norono~s. fms? Or to t 011 fofs thatit is their dHIJ' to confe[s them; Thopgh they would eafily bdreve tint 1t IS the duty of llmthrr,
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